Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-11

{ $50 TODAY. including among it's
accomplishments the end Of discussion
n the tax bill and an order to a third
leading without amendment by the
arrow vote of 1O4 to %. Speaker
Weeks congratulated the members on a
God days work and the afternoon
ession Of the House closed with APP
lause. The tax bill as finally &C
epted by the House was the commit
ZEE bill providing for a flat rate OF
even mills on intanpibles and for
honest offsets of IS per cent.
The House made a bad start by dis
ussing the compulsory illumination on
ehicles bill at considerable length and
nally killing II. But in completing
'ork on the tax bill and In disposing
{ the divorce bill and other important
teces Of legislation the House made
considerable Roadway toward final ad-
burnment. The Senate disposed Of
everal matters, but with the exception
the budget bill, were inclined to
ark time on important matters owing
~absentees. The budget bill was
hssed without debate, and this i'm
brtant measure is now practically as
ired of becoming law. The divorce bill
hich was ordered to a third reading
the louise allows one more grounds
pr divorce, habitual drunkenness of
ther party. The words money
|aned' in the present tax law are de-
ned in a bill which sped through both
ouses this afternoon. This is to re-
owe present ambiguity.
BURLINGTON'S CHARTER.
The bill changing Burlington's charter
as introduced into tho Sppata nv Cppu-
r Shaw to-day. 1t would do away with
ard lines in voting for councilmen and
hool commissioners. would do away
it'll city caucuses and primaries; and
nong other provisions it creates a
ayor and vice-mayor, a purchasing
GENT and allows the appointment of
omen police officers. The preferential
Lllot is substituted for straight bal
I in city elections. The adoption Of
lrlington's new charter by a vote of the
items at an election next November is
Fcessary before the change can go into
fect. IL adopted 1t would go into effect
1916.
A city council of six elected without re-
I'D to ward lines is provided for by the
(. Each councilman is to be elected for
rec years, and each school committee
Rn for five years. A. each March meet
2. therefore. two councilmen and one
hool commissioners will he elected.
pminations to office will he made by
animation papers, each nominee requir-
Z the signatures of 100 registered voters.
lie ballot in city elections shall be a
eferential ballot. Each voter will reg
er his first. second and third choice
each office on his ballot. If no can
Hate has a majority on first choice the
tond choices will be added; If none on
. combined first and second choices. all
rec choices will he added. The vice
kyor shall preside over the cOuncil. The
RELEASING agent shall purchase all city
pplies requiring competitive bids in
n cases.
MONEY LOANED" DEFINED.
With the immediate signature OF the
vernon the existing law will be clarified
to the words money loaned" H.
provides the words money loaned
used in section one of No. 81 of the
s of 1912 shall be literally construed,
b shall include temporary transfers
currency, unpaid purchase money and
Undated demands. The Governors
nature is expected. The bill passed
h Houses on high speed in the after
on, The five per cent. exemption
use of the 1872 law has been variously
lstrued in different towns.
he bill aholishing the commissioner of
lights and measures was put off by
House until next Wednesday morn
INTANGIBLE RATES DISCUSSED,
Hat rate on intaneibles, offsets. and
r,,r cant nnnay uraca discussed n
d share of the morning. Several
IN to the committee tax bill
re forthcoming, Mr., Wilson of Chel-
and Mr.. Fairchild of Fairfield both
he'd to strike out section one which
e a fiat rate of seven mills on intan
es. Mr.. Wilson wished to make the
the same as before the 1912 law. Mr.
rchild's amendments would continue
exemption of five per cent, loans and
I'D grant offsets in addition as pro
ed by the committee. This, he said
fair for country towns such as hi:
town.
r. Demeritt Of Duxbury presented 8
png argument for a low fiat rate or
(ngibles. The present tax on intan
es, he said, did one Of three things
err drove money out of the State, o.
hiding, or into banks, The Stat
never grow, he asserted, so long al
have "A property tax on i~ntangibles
cited two examples: II have a 500
n which ] would like to sell, II l be
in the character Of a poor ma
wishes to buy it, | might take hi
for it, secured by a mortgage a
and one-half per cent. My mort
would be taxed seven mills unde
proposed law. That would be eight
his per cent, better than in a saw
bank. Under such a plan I, tn,
+, would gain eight-tenths per cent,
buyer would gain one-half per cent,
the town would gain seventeenth
cent. A similar case under the nrcs
law would work otherwise. woul'
be willing to pay a property tax OF
a mortgage. He would have TO Dor
the money at six per cent, from tn
< and ! would deposit Il in the BAN
get four per cent. Here the Stat
Id get seven-tenths per cent, and tn
would make one and three-tenth
cent. The town and the borrowe
the lender would not be favored.
also cited the example OF waite
pr development by local capital, y
would buy even six per cent, bond
such n project II subject to a ia
of about two per cent.
Hin of Waterbury feared a shrink
OF revenue under the bill. Reductn
ia xation on intangibles would los
tthlng; offsets would reduce tn
d list some more, Mr.. Dement,
cd with HIN il no more intangible