The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-12
City Council Finds Itself Up
Against Some Hard
Facts
IN SPITE OF GREATLY
INCREASED LIST
This Years Appropriations
Are Dwindling Rapidly
Rate Is 10 Cents Less

Barre's tax rate for 1919 was fixed az
SZZo last evening at a special meeting,
OF the city council. Incidentally an old
gentleman named Mr.. High Cost t-of .Liy-
iing' Just now enjoying huge unpopular
lty IN circles high and low, got a loc
slap in the face, for last years rate was
S2.35, although the fond visions lately
entertained of $2l5 or S2.1O levy ran.
idly vanished when the city fathers ca mo
together and began to study the figures
which Clerk Mackay produced when the
session was called to order. The rate
| OF 1913 was established in resolution
which the council adopted on the motion
made by Alderman William Brown and
seconded by Alderman H. C. Patter-
son.
The tax is to be assessed for the fol-
lowing purposes: State school tax. Sc.
state highway tax Sc; direct state tax
loc; county tax, lc: city highway. 20c.
school Zoe; special evening drawing
school tax, Pc; sinking fund l5c; gen,
eral city tax, 94c. 1T is based on a
grand list which totals around S64 900
and VIII net the city an aggregate sum
of sl37 900.
IL was Z o'clock when the councillors
assembled, but nearly two hours elapsed
before the session was called to order.
Meanwhile the city clerk had supplied
each member. excepting the absentee.
Alderman Bancroft, with sheet of fig
ures showing the appropriations made
for the various city departments. the
warrants drawn thus far on the an.
preparations and the accounts overdrawn
The members were disposed to ignore
none OF the many sided phases of the
financial situation and it was well to-
ward Q o'clock before Mayor Ward called
the session to order. While the prelim-
mary meeting was in progress almost
everything from the revival of interest
in crossstitchng among the natives of
New Zealand to the price of dill pickles
at Vancouver and the width of curb
was up for discussion.
Appropriations Fast Vanishing.
Departmental tables furnished bv the
clerk revealed rather annoying condi-
tion of affairs with refer nee to the fin
ances and before the evening was over it
was found necessary to figure additions
TO the appropriations in with other ex-
penses to be met by assessing taxes.
For instance, warrants drawn on the
street departments original appropria-
tion OF $500 amounted to- S4.s4o.4T
June TO- with the year stilE under six
months young. Out of 81 900 appropri-
tied Jan. for street sprinkling. 81,
l59.06 had been sapped of all but 800
approximately. The water department,
With an original appropriation of S22,-
100, had used Sl4, 4,ll3.3l June 10. OF
he city buildings appropriation, $500,
he sum of $S,454.SS had been drawn
" warrants. The poor departments
appropriation of 5000 had been de-
reased by s5,0I6.23, with the year not
alf over. The health department, start
ng off with $1,000, had expended STALL
nd the election appropriation of 1925
ad been overdrawn to the extent of
1876.
Some Items Not Figured on Before.
Four items of more than passing inn
ortance had not been figured in the fin
nee committees estimate for the wear,
was reported, and these were more
r less responsible for the condition. The
$500 additional state and county tax.
state tax of $4,000, the purchase of
he Marinetti property near the reser-
Dir, amounting to $500, and the in
ease in state taxes caused by the in
ease in the grand list were the four
ems mentioned. Together they formed
lump sum of sl7 400 which had ac-
in the expense column after
le estimates for the year were made.
he clerk and the board members went
the problem by applying first the
'.i5 rate. then the $3.50 rate and finally
'.25 which promised to be adequate,
EN- though 1t sliced the reserve fund
ON its $4,000 down to 81 900 or sl2.-
%. IL was recalled that the reserve
nd in 1911 was $4,000, approximately
I 900 the year following and a thous-
ID less last year.
Street Department Expenditure.
Several departments were rather close
scanned during the conference and
ZEN the street department came in for
share Of the discussion, Alderman
tterson, chairman of the street COM
ttee. stated that as much economy as
ssble had been prscticed. Alderman
iwson was moved to compliment the
airmau- for the efficient work of the
partment during his regime and he ex-
sssed his opinion THAT the work had
yer beer accomplished so satisfactorily
such a short period. Good natured-
the fourth ward member afterwards
mitted that the practice of employ
more than one street superintendent
5 something OF a blot on the chair
ms escuteheon. The remark led to
short cross-fire program between the
o and Alderman Dawson reiterated his
mer statement concerning what he
ieved to be the futility Of hiring
N to stand round and smoke his
e at the eity's expense" Alderman
tterson defended his conrse and the
1iment presently subsidized in favor OF
re pressing matters.
,ome time was necessarily gwen over n
nputing the probable results to be
ainei by S225 rate and IL was not
10 the tax question had been thor
-hly considered fer fully four hours
{ Aldermen Brown. Hoban and Fat
son. along with the mayor. expressed
" opinion that S235 would h. sutR
it The resolution a. dTa ftei bv the
K pas unanimously approved BY the
ire board and adjournment followed.