The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-03
KINGSTON's GREIT BURDENS.
Where the Farmers Have to Mortgage Prop
erty TO Pay Its Taxes

KINGSTON, March 1.-Thero Is rejoicing
throughout tho town over prospective redomp.
tiOn from Ring rule. Gov. Robinson has signed
two bills for tho relief OF the town. The first
provides that the town elections shall be held at
n single poll and the other restricts nppropria-
tions for the poor TO $4,000 ycar II also pro-
vides for single Oyorsccr Of tho Poor. at $3.50
year.
Tho town has been overwhelmingly Demo-
cratic; but so terrible have been recent inroads
upon the treasury. that the bctter class Of DEM
ocrats last week signed n call for q Taxpayers
meeting" TO devise means for relief This
meeting was large and enthusiastic. and resou-
tions condcmning the corrupt and extrava-
giant management were received with cheers.
In 1861 the present town and city Of Kingston
comprised single town. In that year the total
town charges against tho town were little in ex-
cess Of $1,000. while tho total tax levy for that
year was only about $3s.00O. In 1873 frag-
ment OF the old town. exclusive Of tho city paid
town charges nCgrcgnting t24 900. or over
$4,000 more than the whole town Of Kingston
including the city. paid in 1861 an increase OF
moro than 200 per cent. Tho total tax lovy for
1873 npproNimntcd 100000.
, In 1861 the poor chnrgcs Of tho entire town
uncluding the city, wore about t3. 800. In 1878
the bills audited for this account exclusive Of
The cityl amounted TO about $4,000. In tho
other eighteen towns OF tho county comprising a
population OF G300O, there wns this pnst year
audited a total OF $500 for poor purposes.
Thts included salaries Of poormastcrs. II wns
an average OF fourteen cents for each person
in the said towns. In the town OF Kingston,
with n population Of 400. there was $4,000
allowed Tor this same purpose. or moro than
tJ.5O Tor every man, woman, and child In the
town; and aggregnting nearly twice as much as
the eighteen other towns OF the county COM
bined. II IL be true that the town OF Kingston
ms an excess Qf paupors over the other towns,
lhen II must follow that taxpayers are proper
uonatey less.
In all the other departments Of the town gov
ernment there exists this samo disproportion Of
expenditures.
In eighteen towns the Commissioners OF
HIGHWAY Tor 1878 receive an average compensn-
ton of less than 500. In the town OF Kings
ton $665 Is allowed for this same service. Lot
II bc understood that the town Of Kingston con-
tnlns q less number OF acres by % per cent
than the average OF these other eighteen towns
The average cost Of town clerks in the cigh-
teen towns was less than $50. In the town OF
Kingston the bills amounted to about 800.
FOR assrssors. the average in tho eighteen
s53i. ''''
The officials Of these othor eighteen towns nre
not very generally believed TO receive niggnrdly
compensation Tor their services: on the com
trary. 1t Is declared that In times like these a
mu'n reduced ratio Oh pay would have been
commensurate.
Bankruptcy confronts every property holder
IN the town. In tho town OF Kingston there is
no farm paying per cent. upon its value
Mhlic Tor taxes there Is assessed 7.19 per cent
Ihcre arc innumerabo instances in which IL
mas becn found necessary to mortgage farms
IN order ~ pay taxes.