Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-07-01
TAX RATE VARIATION.
Town and Village Expenses IN Ram
aoiph for the Past rs Years.

In view OF the act that town and viii
lage taxes in Randolph appear to have an
upward tendency not altogether pleasing
10 the average taxpayer, it may be inter-
esting to cast glance backward over 25
years and see how this disquieting in
crease has gradually come about.
Starting with 1884, it is noted that the
town voted in March meeting of that
year to raise zoe. on q dollar OF the grand
list, which was S17, 469.41, and it voted
also loo. highway tax. II cost $500 to
run this village and pay the firemen in
1884, and there was no Indebtedness. A
tax of i0c. was thought sufficient to cover
All necessary expenditures of the next
\ year.
I In 1885, the town rose to a tax OF 25c.
on dollar, a 15c. highway tax and left
4 sS6 signal service to the discretion Of the
selectmen. The village trustees drew or
ders to the amount of S625.45 to cover
current expenses and the repair OF two
reservoirs-one on Randolph avenue and
one on South Main street r at an outlay Of
$3.50. An indebtedness of S1S5.17 vas
incurred. The grand list of the corpora
ton was then $1,000 on which a tax OF
SC. was voted, and it was decided to pay
the collector $40 and the clerk IS for
their services.
They voted Csc. on dollar OF the town
grand list of 81, 7O2.44 in 1856. The
village voted to pay the firemen soc. for
each practice meeting and 81 for each
fire attended, and to get the five leading
hosemen rubber suits. The receipts that
year we're S559.42 and the disbursements
/ s529.63, leaving a balance of S29.79 in
the treasury
/ The town grand list OF 1887 was s1S.-
3O9.11, and 40c. tax seemed necessary to
pay current expenses, Indebtedness, state
and county taxes-the last two requiring
14c. on the grand list. The town appro-
/ priated $50 for Decoration day. Village
expenditures had amounted to s1540.12,
and there was additional Indebtedness Of
S125. Nevertheless the corporation
thought best to buy new hose cart and
500 feet OF hose. The tax voted was
1850.
Less than so OF All voters were out to
the tcwn meeting of 1855 but they voted
I to abolish the town system of schools
after big fight. They thought 40c. tax
on list OF s20,O3s again necessary and
I granted another appropriation OF $50 for
I Decoration day. The village decided to
buy the Chase building for hose room
and repair shop for the water department.
I II extended the southern boundary OF the
corporation to the south line of the Gene
terry and voted tax of zoe. on the dollar.
There were liabilities of S13S.3S outstand-
ing on current expenses.
I When March meeting of 1889 came
around it was found that the highways
had cost the town sS,s52.S1 of which
! 81 ,3T3.65 had been spent in breaking
roads, and s1,6ss.e6 in keeping roads
repaired. The town agent had sold
I SO, 444.75 worth of liquor at q profit OF
S275.54. 1t had taken s1,4I6.26 to sup
port the poor. There we're in town Il9
dogs, whose tax had put S120.1O into the
treasury. A great discussion was excited
| by petition having 43 signers and ask
ing that all town officers be elected on
one ticket and by ballot. This was sus-
peeted of being some kind of a snap game
and settlement OF the petition was de-
Y ferred week. The adjourned meeting
called out the biggest crowd of voters
seen in years, and the one-ticket fashion
of electing officers went into effect, to the
disgust of the board Of civil authority,
whose members thought it made them
too much work. There were eight
different tickets printed and a lot of
I scratching done besides. The town sys-
tenn of schools was retained for five years
/ trial by vote of III to lis. A tax OF 45c.
/ including the state tax, was fixed on the
grand list of $50, 122. The village treas
urer reported receipts of S1,S96.76 a d
disbursements of s116l.27, leaving a
Z balance of 1884, to the good. The
total cost OF the water system to date was
stated as S22, 615. 4s, and it was reckoned
that the income from water rents would
pay interest of $4,000 on the debt and
$3.50 for care of the works. There were
then 1856 different water takers. A tax of
15c. on q dollar, it was estimated, would
pay for the Chase building, hydrant reu-
tails and current expenses.
In 1890, the town tax was 25c., the total
tax 65c. and the grand list $50, 343.40.
The village extended its water pipes an
other 1000 feet and added Al TO the list
OF water takers, making 226 in all. Its
\ indie btedness was S1S3.T7, and q tax of
/ 10c. was voted. The late w. II. Dubois,
James Hutchinson and W. B. Wall were
appointed a committee to look into the
matter OF electric lights, and another
committee, with the late II. W. Tewks-
l bury at its head, was appointed to take
I up the subject Of sewerage.
1t was estimated in 1891 that 40c. on
the list of S19,S95.72 would cover town
expenses and the state school taxes. 1t
was voted this year to hold all future
town meetings at West Randolph and
| the vote stood 1877 to 2s5. The village
voted to build its first concrete sidewalks
and to raise a special tax Of &c. for that
purpose. A tax of Sc. was voted for
current expenses. The village had ex-
pended 81, 025.66 aud had a balance of
$685. in hand. The water takers had
increased to Isl. Harrison Harwood's
suit against the village for springs taken
by right Of eminent domain had been de-
cided in favor of the village and appealed
to the supreme court.
The grand list OF 1892 was $50, 635. SO
and a 4Oc. tax was voted. Three hundred
forty-one voters came to the town meet
ing and there was some excitement over
the election of a selectman for the east
| part of the town. J. G. Huntington had
! DOG rntaa I nka pariah 1n4 and 2 s. Hall