Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-02
Gettina the Worth of Our Money.

GETTING the Worth of Our Money.
A tax payer of this city in COM
munication printed in the Kennebec
Journal Tuesday morning sets forth
views regarding the taxes for the year
1909 which should be considered with
some care. Our correspondent does
not seek to lay the blame for the tax
rate of s21.75 per thousand upon any
individual, but instead traces the mat
ter back to the real cause and then
asks whether the citizens regret the
expenditure of a single dollar which
made the increase necessary.
In 1906 the tax rate was about S23.
That was Col. Plaisted's first admin
istration In that administration the
policy of good roads was inaugurated:
the next year the rate was increased
to $3.50 and the next year to s24.S5
Thus it is to be seen that the increase
has been gradual and is devoid of
nolftical significance for the increase
extends through Col Plaisteds admin
;strations into that of Mayor john
son.
The taxpayer discovers two reasons
for this increase. The first is that the
city undertook expenditures for good
roads at cost of $4,000, the funds
for which were borrowed and therefore
added approximately $4,000 to each
annual appropriation for 25 years.
The improvements begun in 1906, and
extending through the three Plaisted
administrations, were not completed
when Mayor Johnson took Office and it
was necessary to complete and extend
unfinished. The question arose as to
whether it would be better to issue
more bonds and throw this added ex
pense into the future or face it at
once by direct increase in taxation
and thereby incur criticism. Mayor
Johnson and his colleagues deemed
it wise to meet the neces-
sity for completing and extending
this good road work Immediately, and
that is why $3.50 was added to the
tax levy of 1909 This with the s4,240
made necessary through the inau-
guration of Augustus magnificent
good roads policy added $10,5S0 to the
appropriations for 1909.
Again, Augusta has embarked upon
a school policy which has for it's OBJ
iect the placing of Augustus educa-
tional privileges in the front rank
among the cities not only Of Maine or
New England. but of the country. The
board of education has advanced Au-
grsta's schools liz every department as
taxpayer points out. Schoolhouses
have been replaced and transporta-
ton of rural pupils improved and ex-
tended. higher wages have been paid
and the annual loss of some of our best
teachers has been stopped. The conf
mercial department has been estab-
lshed in connection with the High
school. The Imperative need of more
room at the High school has been met
by the erection of an additional build
ing DIT d cost of $4,000 and built with
the proceeds Of further issue of city
bonds. This has added $4,000 to the
amount to be raised by taxation.
These two items-good roads and
good schools-therefore have added
almost $4,000 to the appropriations
for 1909 or $40 per thousand of the
total increase of 81 since 1906.
In other words. Augusta has pur-
chased improvements and is paying for
them and no man will dispute that we
are getting the worth of our money.
Progressive citizens do not regret
such expenditures and they know that
provements will not continue over any
great length of time. Our correspond
cnt is of the opinion that the tax rate
of 1910 will be materially decreased
We share his opinion The improve
mepts for which we paid in 1909 will
be in existence for years and we will
reap the benefit of them long after the
price we paid for them is forgotten