Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-12-15
The Highway Law.

way system. Very many of our read.
ers will be glad to see the text of tn,
law in full. 1t is as follows:
An act creating the office of road com
missioner in each town of this State ano
for the improvement of highways.
1t is hereby enacted by the general as
sembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. l. Section 2,65S, Revised Laws, is
hereby amended by striking out that
clause which reads as follows; "a survey
or of highways for each district, unless the
town elect street commissioners" )" and in
serting in lieu thereof, "a road commits
sioner who shall be elected by ballot"
Sec. 2. 1t shall be the duty of road com
missioners, elected as provided in section
one OF this act, to perform ell the duties
and have all the power and responsibilities
now conferred by law upon street commits
sioners or highway surveyors except as
otherwise provided in this act
Sec. 3. Such road commissioner shall
1 give bonds, to the approval and satisfac-
tion of the selectmen, in sum equal TO
the amount to be raised and expended in
! said town. II a person elected as road
commissioner fails to qualify before the
/ first day of April, the office shall be deem
ed vacant and shall be filled by the select
men by appointment. And in event of
vacancy caused by death or otherwise, the
selectmen shall appoint some competent
man to ill out the unexpired term; and the
person so appointed shall be subject to all
/ the provisions of this act.
1 Sec. 4. For keeping in repair the high
ways the selectmen of each town shall an
nually, within ten days after the compile
tion Of the annual grand list, assess a tax
OF 20 cents on a dollar of the grand list OF
said town, which shall be collected and
paid to the town treasurer as provided by
law for payment OF other taxes, except
that portion of such tax belonging to cities
and Incorporated villages, which shall be
collected and appropriated by such cities
and villages as now provided by law, and
il further funds are needed therefor they
shall be laised as an additional highway
tax.
Sec. 5. A State tax of five cents on a
dollar is hereby annually assessed on the
list, polls and ratable estate OF the inhabi-
tants OF this State, and residents who
have a grand list, for the support Of high
ways. The treasurer of the State shall ap-
portion to the several towns and cities and
unorganized towns and cores in this State
such tax according to their respective lists
and shall, on or before the first day OF
May, in each year, make out and transmit
to the treasurer OF each town and city and
to the collector Of taxes for the unorgan-
lied towns and cores in the State, notice
of the amount so apportioned and that
the same shall be paid into the treasury OF
the State on or before the first day OF June
next following.
Sec. 6. The commissioner of taxes for
all unorganized towns and CORES shall i'm
mediately upon receipt OF such notice, as
sess tax for the amount specified and
cause the same TO be collected in the man
ner prescribed By law and upon such un-
organized towns and CORES, and cause the
same to be paid into the State treasury ac-
cording to such notice; and the several
town and city treasurers shall, upon the
receipt OF such notice transmit the same
to the selectmen, or mayor of their respec-
tive towns or cities, and such selectmen
or mayor shall draw an order on the treas
urer Of their respective town or city for
the amount of such tax and such treasur-
er shall pay the same to the State treasurer
according to such notice, out Of any mon
eys belonging to their town or city, and
IL there is not sufficient funds in the hands
OF such treasurer to pay such tax, the Sc
lectmen or mayor shall borrow the same
upon their orders and the several towns
or cities may provide for the payment OF
such tax by a special tax to be assessed
and collected like ordinary town or city
taxes, or such State tax may be provided
for like ordinary expenses of the several
towns or cities.
Sec z. The list prepared annually by
the secretary of State from abstracts of
the grand list of several towns, cities un-
organized towns or cores, which are now
by law required to be returned to his Of
flee, shall constitute basis for the APP
portionment OF said tax.
Sec. s. The provisions OF section 1859 of
the Revised Laws shall not apply to the
State tax assessed by this act.
Sec. 9. The tax so raised shall be recap
portioned and repaid TO the several towns,
= taaf of "A
mileage to be ascertained as follows: The
selectmen shall, on or before May 10,
1893, measure the highways, not including
pent roads, in their respective towns, in
cluding the cities and incorporated vii
lages otherwise excepted from the proyis-
ions of this act, and shall yearly thereafter
make returns showing the mileage OF new
roads opened and OF roads discontinued, if
any and make and subscribe TO the follow
ing oath: 1--WE, the seleclmen of--,on
oath say that we have carefully measured
the hi0hwavs not including the pent roads
in said town. and find the same to be"
This certificate, showing the road mileage
OF such towns, cities and villages respec-
lively, shall be forthwith recorded in the
office Of the town or city clerk who shall,
within five days, forward certified copy
thereof to the secretary Of State, who shall
certify the same to the State treasurer and
the State treasurer shall, within twelve
DAYS of the receipt OF the same, apporti0n
to each town, city and incorporated VIII
Iage its portion OF said tax, upon basis
Of 4 ratio of the highway mileage of such
town. city or Incorporated village COM
pared with the total road mileage of the
whole State: and fractions OF miles shall
not be considered. When the proportion
ate amount for each town, city and incor-
porated village is so ascertained, the state
treasurer shall, on or before the first day
OF july of each year, remit such amount TO
the treasurer Of each town, city and such
villages. No town, city or
Incorporated village shall receive its pro-
portion of the State tax herein provided
unless it complies with the requirements
of this section.
Sec. 10. The sworn statement set forth I
in the preceding section shall be made on .
blank forms which the secretary of State .
shall have printed, and forward to the Sc
lectmen of each town for the purpose OF
making said report.
Sec. IL. Seventy-five per cent of the
highway taxes raised, as provided in this .
act. shall be expended upon the highways .
,,-i,~ - tha f5fh dav of August. and the .