The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-01

worl, now.
But the result cannot fail TO be
good board of bailiffs, however it
made up. Really, with SO good me
nominated all round. there is no goo
cause for the bitterness that has dc
veloped
The Financial showimg-A 30 Per Cen
Tax should suffice
The village reports were receive
too late last week for intelligent dis
cussiou, and the statement that tn
old board had run behind but $500
though correct in one way. has bee
the subject of a good deal of attack.
The net increase of liabilities ha
been $500. ~ At the same time tn
village owes $500 temporary loan at tn
bank where last year if was only $500
and this affords ground for the CLAIM
that the deficit is $1,000, as is also tru
in one ways
The difference is accounted for b,
the fact that 81 200 of tirc:alarm bond
have been paid-which were included
in the estimates last year and intended
to be covered by the tax then voteo
and Sa6l. 05 is tied up in sewer
! dSStSSlltIlls, al III lbN
suit whore property owners are resist
ing collection. This with S7S in The
| treasury where it was Sc. - last year.
the S25 due from the state on the
| liquor prosecutions, and Sl56 worth
of tile on hand which the bailitfs
reckon as resources, reconciles the two
statements. In other words the village
has borrowed the money to pay what
it has paid ON the bonded debt and to
pay for the sewer improvements for
which is not yet collected. While it is
about an $500 debt increase it is IA
$4,000 difference from the calculations a
year ago
This difference between the calcula
tions and results is accounted for pri-
marily by the purchase of the s400
chemical engine andithe $500 of engine
house repairs, which the last meeting
authorized, partially at least, but did
not appropriate for. because Bailiff
Calvin stated then that he thought
they might be done without any ex-
ira TAX But more was put into the
engine house than then intended.
though there was a saving in buying
the chemical engine instead Of putting
up building for No engine as was
voted. Still the village would have
come out within 500 or so of even and
of Mr. Galvins calculations, but for "A
succession of unusual and unexpected
expenses. amounting to s262i. 80 as
Lookup account, sIOSm
Liquor raids, $40
Alarm box, hydrant gates and shut of
noAzles for fire department, $500
Extra police on account OF burglars, i360h
Sewer assessments being resisted, g6l 05
Sewer assessments on vacant lots ear.
ricd by village, 5lG00
s2GatS 80
There has been very large expend-
turc for sewers. S2567.35, every dollar
If which the village has paid in good
money, but of which only about $500
las been collected. all on petition of
according 10 the custom here
or years, and ali in effect village
money loaned to be collected sometime
n the future, barring of course the
chances of the lawsuit now in prog
ess. The SOLO carried in assessments |
N vacant lots, also according to the !
'ld custom, until they shall be built /
N, might properly be reckoned re-
ource lit will all come back some time,
hough only "a little of it next year.
t is to be remembered that nothing
vas done in the way of sewer construc.
ion in the year previous to the last
ne.
The critics of the old board say that /
t the town is ever to prosper we must
top this running behind. They are
light there. An intlexiblc rule should
c made and adhered to against 1t.
tut instead of making ii retro active
Y way of kicking over what has been
one, it should be made of future !
pplication by doing our public bust I
ess on business principles. 1t should I
cgin at our village and town meetings. '
18th specific appropriations, so much {
II the fire department, so much for {
rect lighting, so much for police. {
id so on, the officers to save as |
UGH as they can from these figures {
ut under no circumstances to exceed !
lem without going back TO the voters {
+ authority. Then all futher sum, such
seems sufficient, may be appropriated '
+ miscellaneous and contingent eX- !
,nses, not to be exceeded such a j.
lie would have shut off the most {
irly criticisable expenditure of last Y
ar, which correspondent elsewhere d
tacks that for the expert evidence ',
the Eddy beer case. Then where u
lprovements are contemplated. like 9
c chemical engine and the engine II
use changes, they will he specifically g
for as theywere not at the Il
It meeting. Then if anything comes up "
ring the year that it seems desirable u
do and the public interest viii not s.
ow of waiting until the annual meet u
z, a special one can he called. Then ~
len the citizens Of some locality :,
ess for something TO be done, as W
ey are constantly doing for lights. "
, decision will bave to depend on ~
, money available. The lesson will ~
constantly impressed. that Bratte- Ia -
70 voters and al! others need to d.
IN. that there must he relation -,
tween expenditures and means. VI
Now the selectmen and bailiffs sub 40,
t estimates. and We vote the money ~, w.
"A lump, substantially telling them -,
go ahead and exercise their judg-
Mt about every thing, and then kick
The judgment results in shortage. I'm
e present one. besides the sewer =
;iness. may be said to consist en-
,ly of the engine house improve on
nts, one of the best things ever done III
one that was intended bo
md probably will save us in in mo
ancc rates many times its cost. ana mr.
if was peculiarly desirable to make 90
his time in order to get the case mc
ore the insurance exchange. and We
, hng hn