Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-14
ROAD MONEY NOT FOR OTHER pUR.
POSES

POSES
so far as the present administration
has exercised wisdom and economy, It
should be given full credit. Not only az
a matter of exact justice but also as a
premium on future wisdom and economy
When. however, the large sums Of road
money which accumulated in the State
treasury as a result of the suspension of
new road work during the war period
and the following months. are instance
as evidence that direct tax will not be
needed during the coming year, it is as
Sumed that this road money can be used
to help out the general fund either direct
~. or indirectly.
The Free Press has studiously support
cd measures Of economy. We hope and
expect that the coming State Legislature
under the lead of the Hardness admin
istration will exercise such economy. We
hope a direct State tax can be avoided.
At the same time we should DO care
full 70 bear In mind the fact that road
funds are set aside according to law and
can not be used for other purposes
In this connection the Barre Times says:
Each city and town in Vermont and
each taxpayer in all those communities
is vitality concerned in the possibility
that the direct State tax will be eii,ni-
mated another year because Of the I'M
expended moneys in the State treasury
due to careful figuring. due to the large
increase in State revenues and due 10
tho fact that the direct State tax of 90
cents was practically double what was
needed 70 meet the extraordinary ex-
penses incident to war A good many
cit!os and towns groaning under the bur
den Of excessive taxation will welcome
the suggestion Of possible elimination
or the direct State tax with genuine re-
lief inasmuoh as the Accent tax con-
stitutsd sizeable addition to the local
tax rate, which was large in the first
place. 1t is said that this elimina ton OF
! exercise of close economy on the part
OF the legislature. which will convene
next January. That being the case the
cities and towns ought to make It known
to their representatives and senators that
no extraordinary appropriations should
be made during the next session of the
RfEIafIIra Tn foot az l.
legislature ought to be based on a promise
that personal influence will be directed
| toward keeping down the extraordinar,
appropriations to a point commensurate.
with the necessities Of the situation. II
there Is chance to get rid Of the direc
State tax. let's accept that chance"
1t is announced that the s5O4. 1887 rep
resenting the highway maintenance auto
fund will not be paid out by Decembe,
81 as the claims from the various town.
will not be received in time to permi
of work this fall. The same thing I.
true of the fund of $50 93O9s for un
selected highways, There is unexpendec
balance of 81 ,4a4 80 for federal road worl
In the State treasury
These various road funds aggrepat,
over s630,0co, which will go over into tn,
now year. They will be added to tn,
road appropriations made by the Legis
lature In the first months Of the new
! year. The net result should be the de
voting of a large total to the inaugural
ing Of real trunk lines of highway |,
Vermont and the beginning or nov
system Of attention to cross roads TO
the benefit of all Vermont the consum
ing as we'll as the producing public.
That money is not to be included /,
the amount saved by economy. It simpl,
has not yet been spent for the purpos
for which it was appropriate or 70
which it is set aside under general legis
lation.
If direct tax is to be avoided by tn
coming Legislature. it must he don
through actual economies by that Legis
lature and without the aid of accumu
lateed money which belongs to the roa
department and which under tie n,
must be spent for good roads,