Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-04
TOWN VOTED 9 IA mill TAX
Strong Arguments Rerenchment by Nicholas Tarrant
and J. ]. Corkery-Otis Library Appropriation Voted
Town to Pay Tuition of Its Pupils at Academy
Assessors to Serve Entire Year-State Highway In
definitely Postponed.

| IoWn hall was filed to more than
| lls seatlng capacity on Monday eve
| hlhS Tor the annual town meeting,
winch was a session full of interest for
all present, and occupied two hours
! anu IS minutes before all the matters
| IN the warning had been discussed and
| disposed of. OF the items in the select
men estimated expenses for next year
ohly two We're changed by the meet
ing, the appropriation for common
| schools being cut from S51,S90.16 to
S9o,Oo0, and the appropriation for
elections being increased from $4,000
| to $1,000.
> IA mill tax was laid. which
was II mill more than the "a mill
tax recommended by the selectmen.
1t was stated after the meeting by a.
,. Spaldlng, who presided, and is
clerk for First Selectman Albert W.
Llllibridge, that the amount raised by
the IA mill tax would be 1854
snort OF the sums appropriated by the
meeting.
Two matters in the warning were
acted upon unfavorably, the first in
VoIV1ng the expenditure of 81 1000 in
improving certain local highways so
that they might be embraced in the
states trunk line system 1t was
voted to postpone this indefinitely The
petition to appropriate $500 for hose
Tor the Harland fire company. No. l,
at Norwich Town, was disposed of by
being laid on the table
According to law, the meeting had
been called at 6 a m, and the warn
ing read, then adjourning to in the
evening, at which time Clerk Spalding
again called it to order. First Select
man Lillibridge was seated on the
platform just a the rear of the chair
man. At the request of Nicholas Tar
rant the warning was read over again.
Chairman Spalding presented the
a ,,1.fu
planning an omission through typo
graphical and clerical errors of some
items in the almshouse report. The
reports We're accepted as printed with
the corrections noted. -
Urged Retrenchment.
The items in the estimated expenses
which totalled $194,S101S, according
to the selectmens figures, We're taken
up separately on the suggestion of
Nicholas Tarrant When the first item
OF $4,000 for almshouse was taken up
Mr. Tarrant came to his feet with the
words: There has to be a beginning
somewhere. Let us begin now and see
where we are at and what we are
coming to-" He went on to say that
it had been said that it would be a
grand thing to increase the grand list
and decrease the tax rate He gave
these figures of the Norwich grand list
and tax rate in the last four years:
1906 grand list, $15,351 .263: tax rate,
7 mills; 1907 grand list. 1888. 900:
tax rate. IL mills; 1903 grand list.
SIG, III ,195: tax rate, IL mills; 1903
grand list, $1I045,4 S4; tax rate. 10
mills
In four years there had been an in
crease of over $1,000. 600 in the grand
list and tonight We can prepare for a
nine or ten mill tax before we get
through. In view of business depres-
sion. Mr.. Tarrant said it was not fair
TO burden the people with taxation
when so many were out of employ
ment. (Applause.) He also condemn
ed the plan carried out by the asses
sors for several wears past of increas-
ing the assessed value of property
in different sections of the city, say
ing that this should have been done
all over the city at once
John J. Cookery also addressed the
meeting in favor of retrenchment, say
ing that an IL mill tax was all the
town ever ought to have. CApplause)
AS there was no county tax this year,
no $4,000 courthouse addition note, no
500 interest as last year. and no
$1,000 in outstanding bills, which made
total OF about $4,000 more needed
last year than this. we should be able
to get along this time with an 8 II
mill tax.
On motion of Josephus Stone, the
$4,000 asked for was voted although
the response was so light on both
sides that Chairman Spalding had to
call for the vote the second time
appropriations Of $4,000 for outside
poor $4,000 for insane, $4,000 for neg
lected and dependent children. and
$4,000 for highways TO city were
passed without opposition.
Highways.
The sum of $4,000 was asked for
highways outside city. which Chair
man Spalding said included $4,000 for
the macadam from the city line to the
far grounds, and the macadam on the
TaftVille road as far as the Prentice
store, Nicholas Tarrant moved the
appropriation be $4,000, but Gen. Will
lam A. Aiken opposed this on the
ground that it was throwing money
away to build roads and then be stingy
in their repairs. Mr. Tarrant argued
for saving where he could in view of
the bad business conditions. and Ed
Win A. Tracy responded by moving an
ar3eLdnlent to make the sum $4,000.
Saying that we didn't want to hear
continued talk of hard times or we
would begin to think the times We're
bad.
Albert Boardman declared the town
IS in a bad way financially and advised
this item be cut down If possible.
John Donovan asked for informa ton
on some other road matters that were
coming up and when this was declined
By the chair until they should be
reached. Mr.. Donovan moved to lay
the matter on the table until the in
formation was secured. The chair was
unable to determine the vote on yeas
and nays. Mr. Donovan suggested
taking the vote by passing in front of
the chair: a voice said Put him QUIT"
and the matter was finally adjusted by
the motion of William H. Shields to
take this IN later with the other high
way matters. Mr. Donovan withdraw
ing his motion.
The sum of $4,000 was appropriated
for bridges. $500 for contingent. Sill
$40 for interest, $1,000 for vital sta
tlstlcs, $1,000 for evening schools.
5000 for communication. $500 for town
clerks Office $30492S for propertv tax
account. $11,52S for state AK. SS.522.74
for sinking fund and sta.0n0 to ray
Norwich Savings society note
School Money Cut Down,
ON motion OF John J. Corkerv the
79i ,S90.i6 asked for common schools
was cut down to $50 900. the same as
iaSt year. The sum of $4,000 was ask
en- Tor election expenses. but Town
oounSel Joseph T. Famine stated that
TINS Wouid not be enough. because this
was revision year ana the nexv alec-
q Expert