The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-10

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war Now that the war is over we
should give our attention with the same
diligence to a reduction of expense and
the conservation of our resources In
1901, as shown by the auditors compare
tive statement, state activities were less
than 30 in number, and the grand total
of state expense was less than SS00000
To-day state activities have reached a
total Of over so and the expense has risen
to $2,2500O0 per year. SO within the
knowledge Of every member of this as
sembly, we have nearly doubled our state
activities and trebled our state expense.
The state has not increased in popula
ton. There is no more taxable property
now than in 1900, although the valuation
for taxation purposes has been increased.
In fact, the reduction in titled areas Of
farm land would indicate that the farm
property as a whole has deteriorated in
value. How then, have these additional
sums been raised? The answer is by the
taxation Of banks, railroads, corporations
and other indirect forms Of taxation, the
sources of which have now been thor.
oughly exploited
We have reached our taxing limit in
this direction and your predecessors, the
| legislature Of 1917, found it necessary 10
impose a state tax of 20 cents on the
dollar of the grand list in order to meet
the expense OF the war and the increased
cost of doing public business. The war
is over but the expenses of il are not
paid, and Won are not only faced by the
same conditions, but the report Of the
| budget committee which you have be-
fore YOU indicates that the continuation
of this direct tax,o Of 20 cents is not only
necessary, but if this Legislature passes
any special appropriations of any kind,
an increase in that state tax will be nee
essary.
Every administration for the past 20
years has been confronted by this prob
I lem of increased state expense, and va
rious attempts have been made to con
solidate state institutions, departments
and activities. Your predecessors and
mine have made some important progress
in that direction, but the net result has
always been that we have had every year
more state activities and greater ex.
pense, with no proportionate gain in the
public convenience, or the public benefit
therefrom, or the public ability to pay
therefor.
State Institutions.
A partial list OF the states actual run.
ming institutions supported in the whole
or in part by state funds is Of interest in
this connection:
The State House and the new building
for the use of the supreme court and the
state library.
A number Of state departments which
have been housed outside these buildings
and paying rent elsewhere,
State prison.
House of correction.
Industrial school
State hospital,
Home for feeble-miuded
Vail school and farms.
Randolph agricultural school.
University Of Vermont
Norwich university.
Middlebury college.
johnson Normal school
Castleton Normal school.
Summer schools.
Teacher training courses.
Supreme court.
Probate courts.
County courts.
Municipal courts
Soldiers home.
State fair
Agricultural fairs.
Armories
Fish hatcheries. /
Forest reserves
Camp ground at Fort Ethan Allen.
The state OF Vermont is not business
corporation and we cannot treat it as
though it were. Nevertheless a glance
at such a list must Immediately suggest
TO you that the state is in business on
very large scale, with most of the rev.
enue to be provided by taxation. Taxa
ton, whether direct or indirect, hits
everyone whether he owns property or
not. | believe that one Of the reasons
why the number of state institutions and (,
state activities has so continually in
creased is because the people do not feel |
indirect taxation; but they participate in |
IL, Just the same. Everyone bears a part |
of the expense of maintaining our public |
institutions and conducting our public |
activities whether he feels it or not. You |
and /, therefore, are directly interested |
whether we pay directly or indirectly. !
You have before you the report of the
budget committee, which estimates the |
expense of the state for the coming two |
years at S4,S57 800. After reckoning |
every indirect source of revenue, the |
available income to meet this sum is but |
$3,7Il 300 Here is difference between
the expenses of the state and the income
so far as known at this time-of more /
than 81, 100000 1t is clear. therefore,