Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-26
WHAT OUR NEIGHBORS SAY
various Aspects OF the Small Town
Problem COuSidcrcd
From the Orleans County Monito

IRON the orleans County MOnitor)
me problems surrounding the some
what startling financial status of many
OF Vermont's small towns is bringing out
much comment tending to suggest
remedial measures. Town consolidation
mas been mentioned. Making state
charges of small towns has been suggest
ed. Economy has been talked. But to
this paper none of the suggestions touch
the bottom. Consolidation cannot by any
means give equitable division of the bur
den. To make small towns here and
! there charges of tho State would giyo
such towns n cumbersome government
and add to the States burden, which
burden. in the end. must be borne Ivy the
people generally but our people would
under this method, have no special pride
o. interest IN their chargos: besides
towns so governed would have no incen-
tive for local effort Economy alone can
not give q town that which 1t does not
possess
| A somewhat careful study of the pro-
blem influences this paper TO suggest
an entirely different plan, as holding
possible solution. Constitutional changes
and other changes which at first may
seem revolutionary would be necessary,
but tho time lock- Is set for use by the
roxt legislature and some of the mat
ters involved In the necessary change
for adoption Of the plan. should como
into being regardless Of this special plan.
The scheme involves a larger tax unit.
probably the county, with a. property
valuation equalization board and a distri-
button Of taxes back over the unit upon
a definite basis Of needs. Each town
may maintain its territory unimps red
under this scheme. may sven maintain
fts town organization, though that or
!, ganization IN evory town might be abridg-
ed in ITS authority. Centralized author
ity may be given as seems wise. with
the town officers acting in all advisory
jcapacity and with voto powers.
, Some OF tho reasons for reaching this
Iconclusion come from the study of Or
loans county. Newport Figures taken be-
fore Newport became city,. Barton.
Troy and Derby contained 61oe of the
taxable property in Orleans county. when
the study was made. The other IA towns
therefore contained less than 4ooo of the
taxable property in Orleans county, but
have 75ed of the road mileage OF the
county. Now then, II like tax raised
Throughout the county property val
uations --equalized by a board and the
money raised for roads expended on our
highways according to selected road
mileage, first: connecting roads, second !:
and strictly rural highways. third. would
not the whole scheme be more just
equitable and satisfactory to all con-
cerned than the present plan? Connected
with this plan should be q central road
authority. but the town road men, elect
ed as they now are. acting as a county
advisory board with a two thirds vote
required to veto action of the centralized
authority. Would not this plan find favor
with rural towns who find themselves
hopelessly involved. yet where the town
~.
: centralized authority be justified in do
ing road work which could not be shown
! to representatives of two-thirds of the
towns of the county to be just and
fair thing to do?
School money raised on the same basis
as the road money could be redistributed
among the towns on the basis of the
= number of schools necessarily maintain
ed with the number of pupils a factor TO
. be considered. Let the towns elect a
l school representative or board. with veto
power against centralized authority.
The centralized authority might come
. by way of our present method of ap-
, pointing a State road commissioner. who
in turn appoints his county supervisor.
Our commissioner of education might be
named by the state board of education
as he now is. he in turn would appoint
district superintendent. In both cases
these men might be given the initiative
I They would come to the towns each year
with a budget of expected expenses and
: a suggested tax rate for the two items
of roads and schools. which rate Is to
, be a uniform county rate Each town
votes at its March meeting to accept or
reject the rate, and when two-thirds OF
= the towns refuse the recommendations
of the central powers, some method OF
a resubmission Of the question should be
had, or the rate Is automatically es-
= tablished by the towns. A general town
q tax for such other minor expenses as
, towns have might be left entirely with
each town, such tax to be administered
by the selectmen.
Following March meeting let the cen.
trail road authority call his councillors
elected from each town as road commits.
sioners, together and go over his plan ir
D detail. Only upon approval Of his coun.
cilors can his word be carried out. AND
some power for his removal by the towr
road men might be provided. A similar
: method would be pursued by the schoo
u authorities.
Thus would we have an organization
= accountable to both STATE and local au
3 thority. Little o.: none Of our democ,acN
n would be lost. our plans would be more
n carefully made and executed. end the pro
G bcms of the weaker towns would b.
t largely solved.
q such plan, imperfect Il Is and only
Q briefly outlined. may give rise % some
timing more tangible along This l:nc o.
thought.
y Such plan involves sevcra! furds
It mental things wn!ch ai~ needed IN Yer
d mont One of the firsr Is greater equal
& ton OF taxable property values rhi
= paper ventures the statement that -arrr
n In Orleans county which have recent,
n solo for ~ high as $4,000 are set In tn.
t In another town q farm of coma yalu,
o is set in the list at $500 or higher Sucl
u inequalities ought 60 be done away with
= more centralized authority in man,
q ways would work 10 the aevantage o
n all concerned, but such authority can
d not be established long as each town
d and especially the small town feels .ha
ms sacred right as a political whit il
q being lost.
!, To disturb town lines only means
- another disturbance In some future time
;, Some town now finding its population
, below 500 may in the future find It's popu
> lation Increased to considerable ex
tent. while other towns now having
@ population somewhat over the dead I'm
may lose ground. This paper sees NJ
. equality or final justice IN a revampini
of our town lines. The old New Englan'
' town is too sacred a thing in history t.
,, be abolished What. a history many
u town now flounderlng I'm debt and deca,
L.. 4