Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-04-09
Once More the Tax Laws.

Once More the Tax Laws.
In replying to our defence of thu
state school and highway tax laws thu
Burlington News says
"The amount that Burlington loses
is almost exactly $4,000. Tel
thousand dollars may be regarded al
''inconsiderable" by our wealthy
neighbors at Randolph, but we assure
the HERALD that ii is not so regarded
in Burlington. At the same time oul
tax is $50 cents on the dollar of the
grand list, and we believe that there
are very few towns in Orange county
which have tax as large, or anything
like as large.
Burlington paid in 81 ,426.s0 last
year and received back Sl,960.04, SO
that it lost SO, 466.76, which went for
the benefit Of that portion of the state
which was worse off than itself in re-
spect to the condition OF schools and
highways. Burlington supported "A
legal schools and "a miles of highway.
Burlington's grand list is Sll2,47l.63.
Orange county paid in S9,Sl0.72, re-
ceived back $l4, 695.32, and therefore
gained 81, S84.6O from that portion of
the state that was better off. The
grand list Of Orange county is S94,-
1858, or ST., 746.25 less than that of
the city OF Burlington. Orange coun-
ty maintains l64 legal schools and
l4l4 miles of highway. just note the
comparative burdens Of these two COM
munities! Burlington's tax rate is
$50 cents. The average rateh Orange
county is l25 cents. Burlington COM
plains Of its high taxes, but how large
a proportion of the money it raises is
lost to ii by operation Of these state
laws? Only about five per cent. OBJ
viously the needed reform in the mat
ter OF Burlington's tax rate should be-
gin nearer at home, where lao per cent
Of the money raised is expended. Bur-
lington has costly city government,
police, school and fire departments,
water system and permanent road
beds that require heavy tax rates to
Orange county has none
of these things SO much to be desired
and will have to get along with very
,rdinar, schools and merely passable
highways. Yet our taxes are only
slightly less than those Of Burlington,
md our contemporary will probably |
admit that it is harder to pound a |
lollar out Of the naked Vermont soil |
nowadays than it is to make it in
manufacturing or trade, SO that actu-
lily taxes paid in Orange county rep
esent more effort than those paid in
Burlington.
So much for the argument that Or
nge county is not proper object for
UGH aid as these laws extend
Our claim that Burlington has an
interest in the welfare Of Orange coun-
the neighbor does not dispute.
The Neacs says, finally, eve do not
elieve in communism. We object to
naking socialistic experiments in ver-
1ont." We do not object to anything
1hich works for the common good.
he equalization of burdens and taxes
,hich these laws tend to bring about
as, we are sure, been productive of
enefit. If the Nctcs is so very par
cular that every dollar raised should
9 expended at the very door of the
ian who pays it we fear it will find
ard task in carrying out its theory.
he general governments income is
erived very largely from the popu-
Jus section east of the Mississippi, yet
never asks, when money is to be ex-
ended, where the money came from
ut rather where it is most needed.
hat this policy has been better than
more selfish one, no one win DENY.
Orange County Politics.