Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-18

'CNLA>UIONS EAPENSES AND CALLS FOH NORE MONE
financial survey of Burlington from the time of its or
ganzation city in 1866 to the present time made
possible in part by to all the official reports of the
city for this period of In considering various
features OF these reports addition to what has already been
said about and other conditions existing
to bear in mind that pronounced increase in the expend
lures of particular department does not necessarily
extravaganza, waste or dishonesty.
In the street lighting department for example, the city
most modern light of 1919 We expanded
geographically and opened streets in old territory that
the number of street lights is many times what it
then. Indeed street lights installed year.
should be the case in progressive city And so with the
water and other department that represents growth
where any does not then
% en that should be
When the old town of Burlington divided into the city
of Burlington and the town of South Burlington 1865 the
city, we have previous articles nineenhs
of the Liabilities Of the former town which it initial
for sco due South BUR- Burlington in Se
division Mayor L. catn included these items and also
Mayor c. H. Blodgett who died the other day at
advanced age stated in his April 5, 1875 sit
uation which has to be somewhat familiar to Burng
ton He said he did not know when earlier pre-
added ~
fund.- and in honor the city bound make up being
money belonging to that fund.- which had been drawn
One recently noted deficit of $4,000 handed
d9Wn to him in this way while another showed liza
ways at frequent intervals Burlington have been
the victims of partisan politics. Every little while find
different departments packed with political pensioners either
through the street department who work nowhere
else and receive gentlemen leisure adjoining the
benches in the City Hall Park Battery Park while the
taxpayers support their families
Then to make good showing, bad showing as the
case may be- the city department figures ugged
the taxpayers do not really know where they Worth
less taxes carried assets Only short time ago
mad amount of current debts funded and added
to our bonded debt.
This year raising the enormous sum of $780,
0O9O by taxation the grand list nothing of other
income that will bring the total receipts $45OOO
double the realized ten ago. although popula-
ton is nearly stationary The of police
ana hre departments not producing revenue, has dou
bed fifteen with the city growing but little aggre-
eating $42,086.72 in 1908, and $85,965.O1 in 1918
In making comparisons should that before 1880
realty was put into the grand list for "any old valuation
1880 however the Legislature passed An equaze
alton and Rating all taxable property Its value in
ey Burlington has lived to this law from the very
set more than most OF towns that pay relatively higher
taxes owing to high appraas of realty than most
Owing this doubling of the grand list 1881
alton was reduced from 2s5 to s10 Tax comparisons
should therefore, really date from 1880 Earlier
OF interest as showing existing conditions at the time
Following is tabulaed statement showing the grand
list rate OF tax total and bonded indebtedness the CITY
from 1865 to the present. taking veyear periods in the ear
lier decades: