The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-28
RuTLANp,s POOR EXPENSE.


If current report. apparently well au-
thenticated, IS 10 he relied upon, tne ad
ministrat.on uf the Office Of overseer of the
poor for the town of Rutland, during tbs
present year, IS characterized by reckless
extravaganza or gross incompetency. The
expenses for the support of the poor fo'
the past ear-1S7j-76-were something
over nine thousand dollars, and the select
men and auditors of that year in estimating
the amount necessary to be raised by taxa
ton for the expenses of the current year,
placed the amount to be raised and appro-
pristed for the support of the poor AZ five
thousand dollars Less than five months
of the year have passed, and It is stated,
and the st 4tement seems to he founded OF
truth, that the expenses already Incurred
for the support of the poor-Og rather. Mt
amount for ichicb tile ocerS-cr bCs nlreGdg
ayaScA 0rders on tile he0SllJ5y--are not five
thousand dollars, or nine thousand lo.lGre.
but actually ecceed ten thousand doi'cr.
II our selectmen and taxpayers vii bu;
look at ii a moment, they vii! see that, At
this rate, the town is rapidly drifting int
utter bankruptcy. Two thousand d lllrs
more than two thousand dollars, probably
three thousand dollars month eyg.a9s9 10;
the support IF Tie p0or alone G.rj3Q Me
spring and SIMMER montIsi II the OK.
penditure is allowed during these months
of mild spring and warm slmmer what
will the whole expenses tor 'hc yeoG
amount to? The town voted tax ol
fifty cents on the dollar for all of the ex-
penses of the year-support of the poor,
highways and bridges, miscellaneous ex-
penses, etc.-Gnd yet at this rate, before
the time when we usually expect 10 be
called upon to support our poor, the whole
tax will be exhausted in this one item
alone. 1t this rate, with a cold and HARD
winter before US, with the same reckless
extravaganza or gross inoompetency in the
administration of this cfilce, the expenses
will amount 20 a hundred cents on the dol.
lar OF the grand list Whither are We
drifting?
II is time that the scectmen should cry
" hal" to the overseer Of the poor A
strict Investigation into his management is
necessary. He must re made to feel the
brakes. If he is allowed to continue in
this course, what value will there be to real
estate in Rutland? If with careful enc
economical administration, it is difficult,
impossible, to prevail upon the voters 20
raise the necessary taxes 10 keep our heads
above water, what hope is there for the
town with such reckessneas as is alleged ?
We go onpiling up debts year after year,
and make No EFFORT to relieve ourselves.
And now comes in this overseer Of the
poor, and, either through recklessness oil
Ignorance, adds this sum of over two thou
sand dollars month TO our already heavy
burden. We know not that we can htlf
ourselves. Our laws may be 80 deficient
that the town is at the mercy Of a reckless
or incompetent officer. 1t may be that he
has the bit in his own teeth and can 20
where he will, compelling the town to pay
the bills. lt'msy be that the town having
placed a Sindqb on its shoulders is power
less to rid itself of him that 1t must 90
on suffering and TO suffer, bearing the op.
pressive burthen until the return of another
annual town meeting If so, the sooner
we know it the better. IT 30, the ap.
proaching session OF the general assembly
may enable us to avoid a similar compiled.
ton in the future. But In the MEANWHILE
let the seleclmen use what influence they
have to curtall the expenses as much as
possible. Let them see to it that every
penny actually expended goes to the relief
of the real poor, not into the pockets OF
spectators. And let us have, both from
the overseer of the poor ard the selectmen,
some plausible explanation Of the ugly m
mors that are atloat.