The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-03
The Meddier
eff the coat fits you. put it on"

The Barre Times notes with pleasure
the fact that the city's tax rate for the
present year has been reduced from 81
to $3.50 and says the decrease ought to
have a stimulating effect on building OPP
crations and other business activities of
the community. At the same time it
points out that Ludlow's tax rate for
1920 was $j.25 and has been reduced
this year to 81. These figures are inter
csting to Brattleboro people by way of
residents within the village and school
districts will total well under So. around
$2T0 for guess, despite the fact that
it includes a special 20-cent tax voted
at the annual town meeting for the ex-
press purpose of applying on the towns
Indebtedness. Thus it viii be seen that
while taxes in Brattleboro seem high, es-
pecially about the time they become due,
they are i'm reality low compared with
the rates that exist in many of the up
state towns and cities However, The
Meddler is of the opinion that one of
the reasons for the high tax rates that
prevail in some Vermont communities is
the low valuations that are established
with a view to evading heavy state tax
assessment. Some day some legislature
viii realize that SO long as the state lev
les direct tax it is in the interest of the
state as a whole and every community in
dividually to establish a central agency
for the equalization of valuations. Until
that time the towns that list their prop
erty at something approaching its fair
value in money Will continue to suffer.
Doubtless the action of the special
school meeting Wednesday evening in ap-
propriating $4,000 for the erection of a
temporary building to accommodate two
grades and teacher training class was
the wise thing to do under the circr1m-
stances. although there is no denying that
there was considerable opposition to the
plan of the prudential committee With
no intention of undertaking the opinions
Of those who differed with the committee
judgment in the matter. The NIeddIer is
inclined to the belief that possibly the
arrangement viii work out more salts
factorily along the lines which the COM
mittee showed wish to follow than as
if some other course had been determined.
Certainly. if the outcome is not salts
factory the committee cannot come back
with the alibi that it was forced on them
against their will. The arrangement is
merely of an emergency nature in any
case.
So
So far as the Increase in school attend
ance is concerned The Meddler is not one
of those who are inclined to view it With
misgivings on account of the attendant
cost He believes there are distinct adj
vantages to the business interests of Brat
tlebOro, as well as to the district itself.
in the encouragement of tuition pupils.
The boys and girls who come to Brattle-
boro for their high school education are
not only valuable asset to the commun-
ity during their residence here but they
cannot help acquiring an attitude toward
Brattleboro which viii bring direct ben
efts in after years.
With no possibility that Inwood Inn
will be opened as hotel the present sea-
son it would seem to be the duty of some
one to remove the signs that border road
sides at various points within a radius of
30 or 40 miles of the establishment 1t
is true there is nothing on the signs to
indicate to strangers the location of the
place, but travellers who enjoyed the inn 5
last season might be put to
a great deal Of Inconvenience BY reason
Of their existence.