The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-11
- Board of Aldermen
-hake Appeal to Govern
or Fletcher
TO SUBMIT MATTER
TO SUPREME COURT
Petition Signed by $50 Peo-
pie Presented to the
Aldermen

-Four members of the board of alder
men in regular session at the council
chamber last evening adopted reso-
luton, requesting Gov Allen M. Fletch-
er to submit the 19i2-l9l3 tax law to
the supreme court, and providing for an
absolute enforcement of the law wheth.
er or not the decision is adverse TO the
opinion handed down by Attorney Gen.
eral r. E. Brown Of Burlington. The
resolution was adopted right on the heels
Of a petition signed by upwards of $50
taxpayers and presented by +. @. How
land. ). ID. Allen and A. Z. Noyes.
Thus is added another chapter to the
tax discussion that started early in the
spring when a committee from the Gran
lite Manufacturers association appeared
before the council and asked to have
the listers fall in line with some other
Vermont cities and towns and exempt
from taxation all five per cent. mort
cages, etc.
At meeting of the board of civil
authority last Thursday night by vote
OF eight to seven it was decided to
grant exemption from taxation, under
the state law, to five per cent. mort
cages in which there was no actual
transfer of money. On the following
Saturday night a session of the city
council was called A petition signed
by number Of taxpayers, to take an
appeal to the commissioner of taxes on
the decision of the board of civil author
ity on the appeals taken at its recent
meeting by S. R. Emerson, Susan j.
Jones and Fl. O. Camp was read and
on the motion OF Alderman Bancroft
it was voted that the petition be grant
cd and that the city attorney take the
necessary steps required by law to bring
the matter before the commissioner OF
taxes.
Evidently the action Of the board OF
civil authority was sustained by good
many citizens, Tor Mr.. Rowland on the
occasion of his appearance last night.
'ead the petition and its duplicates and
'eferred to each signee in the reading
hereof. He also said that he had COM
with "a clerks of Vermont
owns and cities and that he had re-
eived Is replies to date. Fifteen had
declared that the exemption had been
llowed while three. Waterbury, Ran
olph and Brighton had reported other
wise. The speaker read each letter and
ater filed them with the city clerk.
Aldermen Bancroft and Dawson were
bsent from the session and the mavor,
Fho was present during the early part
{ the meeting, left before the tax dis
ussion started.
The signed petition was as follows:
T. = 4 n q
fletcher; We wish to call your atten
ion to act No. 35 of the laws of 1919
nd 1913, regarding the taxation of five
er cent. loans, and respectfully ask
nat you submit the question to the
lpreme court for an opinion on the
lme at an early date, agreeable to
,ction l34l of the public statutes
Before the resolution was drafted and
iopted. Alderman Patterson said he
as ready to favor the petition. City
Jerk Maekay said it should be even
ronger in its tone and Mr.. Allen gave
her instances where towns had ignored
le attorney generals ruling 1t was
e request of the petitioners that their
strument be forwarded to the governor
the city clerk at the instance of the
'ard of aldermen or city council. 1t
as afterwards that the clerk was in
ructed to supplant the request of the
titioners with resolution which went
to the question at greater length, al
ough still Incorporating the wishes of
e signees. The resolution as drafted
d adopted is as follows:
"Resolved--By the board of aldermen
the city of Barre: That, whereas
tition signed by representative body
the taxpayers of the city of Barre
: been presented to the board of alder
m this day, requesting the city of
IRE to indorse said petition by causing
to be forwarded to the governor of
? state and requesting him to grant
d petition.
Therefore. be ii further resolved:
e city clerk be instructed to forward
4 petition TO the governor as request
and that he be respectfully request
to comply with the request set forth
said petition and further that If said
tition is granted and the supreme
lrt sustains the Interpretation of the
: in question as given by the attorney
leral that he take whatever steps
Y be necessary to have the gIani
: Of the several cities and towns in
state that have failed to comply
n the law in respect 10 this law to
revised so as to comply with it;
further. If the supreme court should
4 that the law meant to exemps all
per cent. loans. that the several
- and towns in the state that have
owed the law as interpreted by the
Drney general. being instructed TO re-
, their several grand lists by rcduc-
the same. the several amounts rep
.nted in their lists by five per cent.
rs. which they have set in said lists
which should be exempt under the
aforesaid. Representing that such
on l. necessary in justice and equity
he taxpayers throughout the state.
motion TO adopt was made hy Alder
Patterson. seconded by Alderman
fe. and carried by the unanimous
, of the board.
other Matters ConSdered.
outline affairs occupied the attention
he aldermen for a short time ou,v.
orting for the property committee.