Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-03-17

Editors Phgnir On account of the com
paratively small number of voters present
during the discussion Of the tax question at
our late town meeting together with the
closeness Of the vote and the evident and &C
knowledged misapprehension under which
some voters who were present labored, it has
been suggested that the matter be again
brought under consideration at the adjourned
meeting to be held on Tuesday afternoon,
April 8th. In this view of the case would 1t
not be well to discuss the subject somewhat,
previous to said meeting, 80 that If the ques-
ton is reopened there may be no lack Of at
tendance by those interested, nor failure on
the part of those who do attend to vote intel
ligently and discreetly as they may deem for
the best interest of the town.
The statement has been semi officially
made that the debt of the town was reduced
during the past year, nearly or quite or a lit
tie over $4,000, and hence, 1t was argued If
tax Of 25 per cent paid the current expenses
of the town and $4,000 of the debt, a tax Of
40 per cent, raising $1,000 more, would pay
all expenses, including the library appropri-
alton and reduce the interest bearing debt
nearly or quite $40, 600 This was the view
taken by many who were present and voted
ut the last meeting and had it been correct
one the motion to raise 40 cents on the dollar
would undoubtedly have passed by practi-
cally unanimous vote Let us anRlyze this
matter q little and see how much in reality
the tax of % per cent did accomplish toward
reducing the town debt.
During the year there were paid Of the
railroad and town hall bonds So, 500. How
was this done ? Where did the money that
paid those bonds come from? The auditors
report furnishes the answer. The last item
on page reads balance due treasurer
Sl145. 95'-mOney borrowed to pay debts
with On page 10 is an item Of S1S5A13, L.
S. deposit money received of the state treas
urer, for which the selectmen have given a
note against the town of Brattleboro making
S3OOOOs borrowed money Add to this S17.-
O5 balance in treasury last year and SCI
increase in interest due over last year and we
have an aggregate of S307s 5G of increased
| liabilities leaving as the actual reduction of
the debt the past year S242l. a. instead of
| $4,000 as claimed. How much of this reduc-
| ton was accomplished by the % per cent tax
! will be seen farther on.
| But. says some one, there was a large num-
Der of old bills of 1879 and so paid during
| the year that should be taken into account
| Turning to the auditors report again We find
on page four S22l OF of 1850 bills, and on the
two following pages, S15l "a of 1879, and
S177O. IS of 1880, amounting in all to S2l43..
| 81. Now let us see where the money came
from to pay those bills and then we shall be
able to give full and proper credit to the q
| per cent tax. On page - we find that Mr.
| Stevens paid into the town treasury the pas
year the sum of S6OS % of 1879 tax bills anC
on the preceding page it appears that Mr.
Herrick also paid in at two payments S2ljO.
| 80 of the 1880 tax bills, including S2s2 A. o.
the old tax bills of 1675-76-77 collected Tia,
previous year. The total amount Of thes,
1 old tov hills maid ir,fp the cir Eah
Il, 1851, is S2759.32, or S615.91 more than
enough to pay the old bills of 1879 and 80
In addition to this We find on page Of tn,
report items of money received by the treas
urer, other than through ordinary sources
amounting to S6OOO4. This sum added Il
that left on old tax bills makes Sl2l5.95 Il
be deducted from the S242l. ~ of net reduc
ton on debt, leaving Sl2Oj. 40 as the sum to
tai of town debt paid through the aid of tn
% per cent tax of 1881.
This calculation is made on the suppose
ton that the money paid by Mr.. Herricl
since Feb. IA, 1851, as shown on page II o
the report was paid the town treasurer TO
town purposes. II it shall prove that tn
last item of @6j0.35, was paid some othe
treasurer, or any portion of the money wa
used foI other than town expenses, the 2
per cent tax should in justice be further cred
tied by such amount, otherwise, it is claimed
the figures here given are substantially cor
rect.
Take another view of the subject The eu
ditors estimate the resources of the town 70
the coming year, aside from the amount I
be raised by tax, throwing out the old ia
bills of 1S75-76-77, admitted to be worthless
to be S4475.Gl. OF this, S975.6l, tax bills i
Mr.. Stevens hands, is subject to errors AN
Attachments, and no one at all conversant wit
the history of the rear guard of our tax bill
in the past would be surprised if it shout
fail to cover the unpaid bills of the town, et
timRted at $3.50, but very likely to consider
ably overrun that. But offsetting these az
counts against each other, we have as re
sources, other than town tax, $500. Tn
estimated expenses of the town for the con
ing year, less unpaid bills accounted fu
above, and increased by the library appropr
alton, is SIG, G6G. "a, leaving Sl3, "a to b
raised by tax. Now tax of 40 cents on
dollar of the present grand list, (Which wi
hardly be increased) will raise Sl3, 1874. 7.
subject to Attachments and cost of collecting
which will probably reduce it at least $1,000
This leaves So, 1874. ~ as the net result of
! 40 per cent tax, which fails to pay the est
mated expenses of the town for the comm
/ year by 1881. G., TO say nothing of any redut
, ton of the floating debt.
Now no argument is needed to convinC
. the people of Brattleboro that it is not goo
for them to remain in debt. There is 4
|, doubt that large majority of our either
, would willingly vote and pay a tax sufhcien
I ly large to pay of our entire indebtedness
. within seven or eight years, and that this ca
be done without making the taxes so large
to be burdensome is capable of being clear
!. demonstrated 1t is equally clear that at tt
rate we are now moving, the days of no del
r and low taxation are not for this generation.
q c.
i U, M, n ,,,-