Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-04-05
NEW CITY GOVERNMENT.
Alderman Beach Reelected PreSi-
dent of the Board.
Mayor Roberts Annual Message--Only
Four Changes in the List of City
Officials and One Of Those Due
to Resignation.

The meetings Of the new Board OF Al
dermen for organization ana the CITY
Council for election Of city officials Mon
day afternoon We're ""ry harmonious at
fairs The Board Of Aldermen wao call
ed to order at $50 o'clock 10y city clerk
Allen, all being present except alderman
Sinclair. Alderman bca,u Wa untui-
mOusy elected president and Aldermen
Gutcheli and stiles We're appointed Il con-
mttee to notify Mayor RohcrtS mat the
board had organized. Thcy had no dif-
hculy in finding Tn" mayor. who soon APP
poarrd with them and read his message,
which was as follows:
To the Board Of Aldermen:
Gcntemen--Cnder the provisions OF the
charter that the mayor 'Shali recommend
10 the Board of Aldermen Whatever meas
ures ho may deem necessary FOR prudcu-
tally ana efficiently carrying ON the af-
fdlrS of the city" ] have the honor to
make the following sugges lions:
our property valuation as assessed for
purposes OF taxation. is $l2, N39742: the net
bonded debt Is %7s.5i)lS and the tan rate
last year was 100 cents on the dollar OF
the grand list. ! repeat here, what il
substance, | said in my message a year
ago, that both the DEBT ana the tax rate
ar" large enough and neither should be
increased except under pressure of emcr-
Eency but that in such case. both could
Ice somewhat increased without Substan-
tlal loss of credit to the city or distress
10 the tax payer Last year. without app
parently diminishing the efficiency of any
department by undue economy, We man
aged To keep up our property, pay cur
rent bills, provide for the sinking fund
and apply over $1,000 on the floating debt
il is probable that We may do as well The
present hscal year although there will b.
an increase in outlay for schools and 2
slight diminution Of receipts by reason OF
Of a.. ,it ltif il l.,
hoped that there may be some mcroas,
In the next and succeeding grand lists aut
here lies the sole hopo Of lcssening IN,
rate OF taxation for years to come. In
amy event ! favor the administration Of
the City's affairs every year with view
of keeping current expenses within tn,
sum which can be raised by tho rate Of
IL per cent. of valuation. To succeed il
this the administration must be wary il
the matter of increasing the Indebtedness
snd the resulting interest charge and tn,
departments must he moderate in thcil
ambitions. Even then the expenditure il
any year may exceed the estimate by rca
son Of unusual requirements In sucl
case, ] should consider the cXpediency o
special tax or the carrying of debt
limited as to time and amount, before in
creasine the annual rate above named
believe that the municipality, with it,
present equipment, could conduct its bust
ness without material increase OF cX
pcnse, excepting for schools, and still pro
vide for the public necessities of con
sidcrahly increased population
AS "A matter of public interest a tabua
ton prepared by the city clerk, OF tn,
grand list, the tax rate and the net bond
cd indebtedness Of the city for the sew
cral years since its organization is glvei
below. The increase in the list of 1881 Il
due To the law Of 1850, IAN act to equalz