The Newtown bee., 1903-03-06
EDITORIAL INK DROPS.
FACE THE FACTS.

On Saturday of this week at p. m., (iiarch ? the adjourned annual town
 meeting for the purpose of fixing the
 tax rate will be held and it is hoped
 there will be general turnout of the
 taxpayers. Selectman Morris informs
 us that at the lowest possible estimate $27 1000 will be required to meet the
 towns expenses. This last year 12-
 mill tax was laid, while our expenses have exceeded 15 mills. The folly of this kind of action is now admitted on
 all sides. Five years ago a 12-mill tax
 brought in S2O,OO0 or whereabouts.
 With or grand list reduced to
 $1,3A, TAO, "a 12-mill tax yields some thing more than sl6,00o. A deprecia-
 tion of 40 per cent in the value of the real estate in the Second distric caused by the removal of the New York B,lting & Packing Co. largely accounts for the shrinkage. Then, too, the increased expenses of the town are easily accounted for. The first installment of 5000 for the Fab ric Fire Hose Co.,, which the Second district called for, and was cheerfully voted by the taxpayers, has been paid. Then the high school expenses of $500 or whereabouts are to be met, and S3OOO for good roads voted more than 12 months ago. In view of these facts it looks as if an 1S-mill tax would be required for the ensuing year. and if so, we hope it will be voted. The foolish, short-sighted policy of carry ing over from one year to another the shortage and borrowing money to meet the deficiency should not longer be tolerated. Let us face the. facts as we. .find.them and d.appropriatee enough to meet our expenses. Selectman Morris has made strenuous effort to keep the expenses down and has materially re- duced the pauper bill and other items. He says, and we believe him, that he has done his level best to keep the expenses down. No blame can be attached to Mir Morris, who has done remarkably we'll under most trying conditions. The closing of the rubber factories, the consequent depreciation in value of real estate, the voting ot large sums by the taxpayers to the objects above noted, are the causes of the present situation. And it seems to have been the towns miSfor. tune for some years to have followed procrastinating policy by borrowing money to pay deficits in current ex. penses; the laying of a 10 or 12-mil
 tax rate when probably a 14-mill tax was needed to pay our bills. In fact Newtown has acted the part of a man ] tite with only codfsh income. This is the situation in a nutshell. The time is near at hand when reOrgani
 zation of our school system in the in
 terests of economy, must be accom- plished. The High school has come tt stay: this is the general verdict, but the district schools to some exten1 need to be consolidated in the interest | of the best results. When the tota
 amount of our grand list is considered Newtown's debt of S43,O0 or there
 abouts is not terrifying matter anC ought not to be the bugbear to cry down worthy public improvements
 Personally, with every other taxpayer we favor economy in municipal affairs
 but we do not believe in blockin, every worthy public improvement sim ply because of the debt. We are no
 in favor of increasing our debt. Le
 us lay tax large enough to cover ou
 estimated expenses, and then Itry t.
 keep within the limit and pay small sum yearly on the principal. We hav
 confidence in the good judgment 0 our citizens to believe that wise ant
 thoughtful action on the question vii
 be taken at the meeting on Saturday There is now bill pending befor
 the Legislature which will prevent tn organization of wildcat corporations o the electric and railroad kind. Unde
 the old general railroad law smal
 party of persons can get together ant