Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-11-13

Totals. $S9, 3l4.34


Senator Walbridge asks what other way
we would have the proceeds of this tax
distributed We reply that we would at
least have the sum raised in any county
expended on the roads in that county
Montpelier can afford for example, to
help improve the roads leading from sur
rounding towns, since the principal ira
vel is from the county's small towns to
the shire town or city; and so with other
counties. a glance at the table will show
that Essex, Lamolle. Orange, Chittenden
and Rutland counties would be the ones
chiefly affected by this change, the differ
rnce in amount in the remaining toun-
ties being comparatively slight one way
or the other.
We are glad that Senator Walbridge has
raised the question of the State capital in
this connection as possible communism.
lie might also have referred to the State
laboratory which hires some rooms in
preparation for the college which educates
a large number of deserving young men of
this State without charge. If he is watch
fui he will learn, If indeed he has not al
ready observed. that the clamor about
changing the capital is raised by those
who have to go to Montpelier rather than
by the citizens of Burlington AS a matter
of fact there is no movement on the part
of our citizens to bring about change.
and If the Legislature voted therefor. our
people as a whole would not expect an ex
penditure of 100000 in cash and other con-
siderations would be a very paying invest
ment in dollars and cents. If the State
House is ever moved to this city it Will be
because a majority Of the towns through
their representatives, vote for the change
and not because of any movement on the
part Of our people to get 1t away from
Montpelier.
Some of our noighbors who arc anxious
to see Burlington the capital city say We
could bond for the sum necessary to bring
it here. but they do not appear to have
any adequate idea of the burden which
this city is already bearing in addition to
it's just share Of the expense of State gov
crnment and protection to person and
property about which Senator Walbridge
speaks.
AT the present time Burlington is payin.
annually to the State road tax fund the
sum of s6.553.6i, and receiving back 1888 81
which makes our yearly contribution to
the smaller towns $6.2ls.67. This is the in
terest under our present bonding terms on
about slSO,00o and If the State road tax
We're to be doubled we would be paying
annually tho same as the interest on $780,
600, or moro than double the sum for which
We have bonded for our own permanent
highway improvements.
Burlington is also paying to the State
school fund $40, 1913 annually, and rece.v-
ing from the fund s!,32642 for public school
uses, our net contribution being $S,l5i.Sl
$4,000 1t is also proposed to increase this
tax to 10 per cent. We are now paying to
our neishbors under these two taxes the
interest on over Si00, 0OOand the proposed in
crease would mean that Burlington would
pay into the State treasury under these
two taxes a net sum equal to the interest
on 100000 annually.
n,
| If, under the circumstances, he does not
find the people who pay the great bulk
of the taxes in Burlington tumbling over
| themselves for the chance of paying the
interest on $l,eO0O00 or so outside of our
share of tho ordinary burdens of taxation
TO which all the towns in the State are
subject.
h te.l Lon IL,
that the larger towns would probably not
openly protest against tho spirit shown
by some of their neighbors but for the UNI
certainty where 1t is all to end. So far
as they can see there is no argument for
doubling the burden they are already
bearing for their neighbors' roads, for
example, that will not apply with eQua
force to the proposition to double again
two years from now and so on in geome.
trical ratio. The corporation tax on rail,
roads and other chartered bodies having
their headquarters in the large centres
has worked, to the benefit of the small
towns as a whole. 1t is proposed to hay,
the great bulk of the licenses under a To-
cal option law, II we have ono, go to tn,
|
in great variety of directions, SO muol
so that it is time for the larger towns t,
sound the alarm regarding special direc
taxes to increase their burdens to hel,
the small towns.
Senator Walbridge's invitation to dro,
our goggles, and do other things in THU
connection is hardly worthy OF considera
ton, and his case would have been mucl
stronger If when he asked to have his firs
uetter sent back to him in order that h
might eliminate the stronger personal
ties in which he had allowed himself [,
indulge, he had gone step further Il
that direction, and dropped all PERSONAL
ties from his second letter.
In his attempt 10 defend the taxation q
the itch towns and aues TOR the benedl
Of tho numerous small towns, Senate
Walbridge quotes the utterancec of DAM,
Webster regarding the public interest
The construction of q canal in Ohio OF
road across the Alleghanies, and OF a raj
road connecting tho Atlantic with wester
waters. The whole country was beneiite
lby great public works Of this characts