Norwich bulletin., 1918-05-08
CITY MEETING LAYS
 A TAX OF 7 1-2 MILLS
Tax Was Voted After Much Discus sion as to the Ways and Means of the City,

About sixty voters were present at the city meeting Tuesday evening. held to lay a city tax, and to decide whether or not to accept the grant | of land by the late Charles A. Capen
 for a city park or playground.
 The meeting was called to order at SOS by Mayor Charles A. Gates and the warning was read by City Clerk 4. c. Scripture. Corporation Counsel William A. King offered a resolution | fixing the tax rate at blank mills and to be due on the first of June.
 1 MT. King then gave an approximate | of the finances of the city, showing
 that about $9S,Oo0 must be raised by
 taxes to defray current expenses. A seven mill tax would be short $2,00o while a seven and a half mill tax
 would give $4,000 more than was
 needed for current expenses.
 | Walter B. Knight made motion for an eight mill tax and M. D. Lincoln
 wanted a ' 1-2 mill tax. John F. Re- gan thought that the war demands on the people were overburdening the people and a larger tax would crush
 them. He knew people who were un- able to pay their rent now. If the city economized, 6 1-2 mills would be
 enough.
 Walter B. Knight said that the men
 who are fighting now will have to pay
 off the Liberty bonds Gan argument
 given for a low rate) and he thought
 that they should not be made to pay
 off a large deficit from the present time. H. C. Lathrop said that the government was communicating steel and may soon commander money
 which would make borrowing money hard. City debts sare created by de- GzaSke Al.s
 war times we should pay as we go. l. M. E. Lincoln said that $6,000 was ienough extra to pay off the deficit with, and that eight mills would re- turn too much money
 | Henry A. Bugbee said that he would just as soon pay an eight mill tax fl the city officials would economize, the
 officers must keep the expenses down (Applausel. He was willing to pay
 nine mills if the city would economiZe and didn't vote any more big salaries. ! Eugene Randall said that the pres ent city officers were not keeping their word of economy. which they pledged at election time Every year they call fer more money and spend it unnec- essarily. Let the official study econ
 cmy and run the city as they would
 run their own business. Amos -FoW-
 Ter said that in war times we should ! keep the expenses down. He referred to the money used for street repairs
 while all of the streets in his neigh
 borhood were in bad condition.
 City Clerk A. c. Scripture was ther , called on for statement about the city's financial condition. He gave the following figures: Estimated expenses
 for rest of fiscal year q months, , $114 ,262. Receipts, $16,696; balance t , hn h1r &ov ,, list. resident property, s12,233,046 , grand list, non resident property, $1, , , 464,429. Total, $13,696,475.
 A vote on the eight mill tax wal taken and lost, and the 1-2 mill ta2 . adopted with one dissenting vote The matter of accepting the lant left by the late Charles A. Capen t, Y the city for a park or playground wa the next matter.
 Attorney Thomas J. Kelley appearet Q for the widow. He said that Mfs. Ca il pen hasn't decided yet whether t V take her statutory rights or adopt tn C will and has eight months to do SC . The city has one year to accept tn 2 land and so there is ample time H e then pointed out several objection ', against accepting the land. The Ian Tl is outside the city limits, while tn Q city has two parks inside the city linn
 it's which they have not developed vel il Near this land there is a fine privat d park Recreation Park which tn N public has the use of. The city woul d lave to expend a large amount c . money to fit it up, as there are n
 trees on it. in fact, the land is ,onl q suitable for cultivation, for which II is being used now. Then the title ( n the land is in dispute. The land wa IF owned by Henry E. and Charles 4 e Capen jointly and the widows of bot men have claims on it. while the tit a before the Capens bought it is in dis e pute, and. finally, the land has bee o leased to a private individual unt '' April 1. 1925. Upon the motion of N h E. Lincoln. it was voted to take Il n action. The meeting adjourned { > S-4S. - .