The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-03-01

In Brattleboro's town meeting to-
day article II, involving the question of
the tax rate for the coming year, was the
principal bone of contention, and instead
of voting a 50-cent tax rate as recon-
mended by the selectmen it was voted,
after much discussion, to raise a 45-cent
tax and a special 20-cent tax to pay off
some of the towns Indebtedness, both
taxes payable July j. This is in accord
ance with a suggestion made by The Re
former last Saturday.
The text of the article was: ITO see
| if the town viii vote to raise money to
defray the expenses and liabilities of said
town; if so, how much.
L. E. Holden moved that 50-cent tax
J be voted as recommended. An amendment
was moved by Fl. G. Rice that the regular
tax rate be 40 cents and that a special
20-cent tax be raised to apply on the
towns liabilities. He said that the 1921
assessment would include the Fort Dunn
mer Mills, which comes into the taxable
list this year for the first time, that the
Accent state tax of the past two years
probably would be cut to a 20-cent tax
at this session of the legislature, so that
the total tax which he recommended
would be less than that of the past year,
adding: 1T is time we began paying
our bills"
! Mr.. Holden thought this a bad time to
/ try to raise exorbitant taxes, and said
/ that many persons We're out of employ
ment and that the selectmen were fully
competent to handle the tax situation.
Attorney Frank +. Barber asked If the
increase of $1,000 in the towns debt
the past year was caused substantially
by high water, and Selectman Solon A.
Richmond replied that it was due entirely
to that cause. The total damage was
$4,000, exclusive of the loss of the Con-
necticut river bridge. and il is the expec-
tation of the town, Mr. Richmond said,
that this damage will be paid by the
Connecticut River Power Co. Had it not
been for high water, Mr. Richmond in
formed the voters, the indebtedness would
have been decreased $4,000, in round
numbers.
j. G. Stafford thought this a good time
to create a sinking fund to take care of
the old Connecticut river bridge bonds of
1000 which become due April l. 1928.
This brought from Attorney Barber, who
IS town representative, the statement that
I he was not so sure that the 40-cent state
! tax would be cut to 20 cents this year
Two. years ago." he declared, 1--WE
thought the state tax would be % cents
but it was 40 cents. We should go con-
servatively. We viii do well to follow
/ the recommendations of the selectmen.'
Mr.. Rice said he assumed that Mr.. Bar
Der was not retained by anybody quot
ing one of Mr.. Barber's expressions in the
legislature, and when the laughing had
, subsided he said that if it appeared that
the taxswaS too large a special meeting
could be called to rescind the vote, which
brought from Mr.. Holden the retort that
if it were found that a 50-cent tax was
! too small special meeting could be called
: to vote an increase.
L. Z. Adams, town treasurer, called at
tentlon to the fact that the old bridge
bonds in question bore interest at the rate
OF 5 per cent and said it would be impos-
sible TO refund them at that rate.
! On viva voce vote the moderator de-
clared that the amendment moved by Mr.
Rice was carried His decision was ques-
toned and he ordered a division of the
house, which showed conclusively that the
amendment was carried, although there
/ were a substantial number on the oppo-
site side. Then Mr.. Holdens motion as
amended was carried without opposition.
making the tax rate 4J cents and special
tax OF 20 cents, payable July 1.
I A warm and sunny day and the knowl-
J edge that there was contest between
/. Selectman Solon A. Richmond and Merrill
A. Stark. candidates for selectman for
three years, Mr.. Richmond's term expir-
ing, brought out early large number of
:, voters, and when the meeting was called
I to order by Moderator A. +. Schwenk at
9.0o O'Clock about $50 voters were in
Festival hall. Another hundred arrived
within few minutes
Town Clerk Carl s. Hopkins read the
warrant and under article L, on motion OF
Edward c. Crosby, the auditors report
was accepted and adopted
j l.. IL. Holden moved, under article 2
that the selectmen be authorized to APP
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