The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-04
Finance Committee ecom-
mends Only Es s .tial
Work. $
PROPOSE TO 3 OLD UP
50. MAINIr. BRIDGE
The Estimated Income for
the Year Is Put at
$305,710.97

|
As to recommending anything in the
way of permanent improvements for
1918, the aldermanic finance committee.
in submitting the flag end of its annual
report, INDUCES in none of the pipe
dreams which have come to be a part
and parcel of financial statements in
former times. Arrangements have been
made, the report says, for carrying on
the work of the various departments in
as efficient manner as the funds will
allow, but no provision is made for new
undertakings. Instead, the committee
says, Great vigilance will have to be
exerted by the next council from the be-
ginning of the year to keep within all
estimates, so that balance may be left
at the end of the year"
Years agone the finance committee. for
the most part, we're romancers, and along
about now they used to weave wonderful
stories of new bridges, more paving, bet
ter sidewalks, and now and then a motor
truck for the fire department. But the
contrast is sharply drawn this year by a
committee of realists to whom bright
vistas are mere fgments of the imagina-
tion. They see nothing but the dull real
tiles OF rigid retrenchment and higher
taxes in the ofiing. Somewhat reluc-
family, as the report says, the committee
has been obliged to recommend tax
rate of $3.50. And at this point the au-
thors of the report may be suspected of
coating the bitter pill with saccharine
eamoufage, for the report adds which,
with the direct state tax of 90 cents addi-
tional, would make the total rate S270':
and then, unless there is an additional
tax voted by the citizens"
That the additional tax will have to
be voted is a matter of common knowl-
edge, for it is altogether probable that
the school system will require at least 10
cents additional on the dollar if the alb
conditions are to be weathered.
There was deficit of $4,000 last year
in the school budget, and in their annual
report for 1917 the school commissioners
are unanimously committed to pro-
gram of salary increases in order that
valuable teachers, much needed in the
may not be attracted to other
cities by wages that are more in keeping
with the II. G. of l..
The estimated income for 1918 as the
report shows, is s305,7l0.97. of which the
sum of Sl70,500 will be raised bv taxa
ion. This aggregated estimate includes
,25 900 to be realized from the sale of
,onds, and the usual temporary loan of
40 800, negotiated in anticipation of the
9lS tax income. The other large item
5 S3l 900 from the water department.
he estimated expenses appear in list
ppended.
Says the committee in prefacing its
nal figures: "In making the report for
9l7 and estimates for 1918, your finance
Dmmittee has been obliged to face the
ame problems that are being met by
ther municipalities at the present time,
amelv. largely increased state taxation,
lostly on account of the war, and the
igh cost of materials and labor.
I'VE had to pay over $4,000 to the
ate on a direct tax that we did not
now of when our estimates were made
st year, as the state had not levied it
that time; and we will have tax of
Re same amount to pay this year.
Realizing the conditions all citizens
i'll have to face the coming year, we
ere in hopes to be able to keep the tax
tie down to where it was, last year; but
seems impossible to do so. We have
mewhat reluctantly been obliged to
commend a tax rate of $3.50 on the
liar, which, with the direct state tax
30 cents additional, would make the
tai rate $40, unless there is an addi-
NAL tax voted by the citizens.
1--WE have made provision for the city
wing its share of the cost of a county
for tuberculosis, which we
derstand is to be voted on by the vot-
of the county at the March meeting.
e have made liberal provision to carry
the various departments of the city
as efficient manner as the funds at our
posal will allow -
Great vigilance will have to be exert
by the next council from the begin
lg of the year. to keep within all esti-
ties so that balance may be left 1T
end of the year.
We would like to have been in a posi-
n TO erect a new bridge on South Main
eet, but in view of the present cond-
n ef the money market, and the city's
inces, we do not recommend il.
We respectfully refer the citizens to
reports of the various officers. com
tees and departments for the details
last years work, and believe the same
meet with their approval"
Estimated Income, 1918.
L,