Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-04-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Ex-Mayor HaseIton writes About the
City's Finances.

City's Finances.
To the Editor of the Free Press:
My attention has been attracted to the
claim made by the mayor in his message
that the city began the year with deficit
Of $4S64 SO instead of with surplus of
S376307, as appeared by figures submitted
by me in conformity to the CHARTER. To
support this claim assessment certificates to
the amount of $l11150, which arc As good
as government bonds are thrown out of the
account because not due. The law authoriz-
ing these assessment certificates contem-
plates that if the city does not sell them
they shall be used for the investment of
city funds acts of 1892 No 1909 and with
the sinking fund and cemetery funds con
stantly soekiug investment, no part of the
general fund of the city need be locked up
in them for q day. | cannot comprehend
the claim that they should be omitted from
the statement of assets.
1t is claimed in the message that taxes to
the amount OF $1,000 put in the statement of
assets, are uncolIectable From the state
ment of uncollected taxes on January /, |
omitted every tax which has since been
ahated Nobody has yet proposed to abato
the tax against the Rutland Railroad com
pany and no such proposition is likely to be
in its resistance to the tax by hearing that
it has been officially pronounced "uncollect-
| able the matter can probably be speedily
and amicably adjusted. Some slight shrink
age in the collection of overdue
taxes is always likely to occur, and
| for this reason, and as an OIL
set to possible shrinkage, left out
of account an assessment of $2Ol.01 which
is in litigation. although | know of no valid
| defence to it and have no serious doubt that
it will be paid during the year
The whole item of uncollected water rates
| -S3llU-is by the mayor thrown out as
| worthless, although S12J1 of this item had
actually been paid into the city treasury be
| fore the message was delivered. Considera-
| tions which did not occur to me when |
drew up the statement Of assets lead me,
| however, to think that except as n matter
| of departmental accounting, the item OF I'M
| collected water rates should have been given
as Sl4O6, instead of S3ll0. The surplus
shown Oh the lst of January should, there
fore, be reduced Sl,O4
1t is stated in the message that the sum of
$4,000 ''to be paid for the road roller, which
we will undoubtedly keep, should be added
| to the liabilities of the city on January /.
The language in which the statement is
made carries with it its own contradiction
| We rented the roller until the 10th tlay Of
August next, with the right of buying it if
we elect. This right we have not yet ex-
ercised, and had no authority to make the
| choice in behalf of the city. II the city
keeps the roller the $4,000 Will become one
| of the current expenses of the wear and
should be paid out Of the highway tax pro
vided for III the estimates, as was the $1,000
paid on the roller last year. 1t is strictly
an expense incident to the work for which
this tax is raised If there is to be any fur
| ther discussion of the matter | shall desire
| the FREE Press to publish the contract
| under which the roller was brought here.
Making allowance for the deduction from
the assets on January | of the sum of 81 10I,
as above indicated. there was still surplus
of S2O59.01 Throwing out, even. the taxes
which the mayor prOnounces uncollectuble,
although they ought to he retained, and ex-
punging every item of assets which he criti-
cises except the solid assessment certificates
| and the water assessments which have ac-
tually been raid into the city treasury. there
was still a surplus of $500 %. Not SO deer
as well nor wide a church door, - but
| il Will suffice in these DAYS When orr reliance
| is upon moderate tuXation to insure the
growth of the city and the increase OF or
grand list. have not relied entirely upon