The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-02-25
The MeddLer
off the coat fits you. put it on"

The year that ended Feb. 1, 1921.
would have been an exceptionally good
one for the town of Brattleboro from a
financial standpoint if it had not been
for bridge troubles, which up to date
have cost approximately $4,000; and
the increase in the cost of snow removal,
which amounted to about $1,000 In
spite of these unusual expenses, to-
gether with the purchase of a gravel
bank and crusher plant for $1,000 and
a net increase in highway expenditures
of SS.000-the total of the items emu
mCrated running close to S4J.000-the
town has been able to worry through the
year with n net increase of but ST.,
5346I in it's liabilities. At least, that
is the way The Meddler figures it out
after a casual study of the 65th annual
auditors report
That is really n pretty good showing.
everything considered, and the select
men are entitled to credit for it. For
spired with the Connecticut River Pawer
Co. or the Boston & Maine railway, or
whoever it did conspire with if it con
spired with anyone, to take 6,6S6.03
out of the town treasury, less S6,5SS.S6
received from the town of ETinsdale.
Nor can the town fathers be held respon-
sible for the fact that snow removal cost
SS.7T794 in the year just closed COM
pared with $1,743.67 in the year preced-
ing. As to the expenditure of $9,7SS90
for the gravel bank and crusher plant,
that is an item fairly chargeable to
plant account and should return direct
benefits over long period of years. The
increased cost of the highway depart
ment. which was $685. as The Meddler
figures it after deducting the balance
returned to general account, is plainly
explained in Commissioner Dube's de-
tailed report. High labor and material
costs, heavy damage from storms Zone
of which cost the town over $4,000 and
excessive maintenance expense due to
the towns inability to get road oil were
among the contributing causes.
a comparison of the 1921 report with
that of 1920 shows the towns total tax
receipts. including interest, were $122,-
1880 for the year just closed as against
$105,357.21 for the previous II months.
an increase of S17.3S061. These totals
include the 40-cent state tax, 10-cent
state school tax, 5-cent state highway
tax and one-cent county tax. which the
town collected and turned over to the
state and county treasures, but there
was comparatively little difference in
the total of these taxes for the two
years. They also include the town
school tax (Which residents within the
incorporated school district do not have
to paw amounting to nearly $4,000
more last year than the year before by
reason of the increases the rate from
% to 100 cents.
In making their recommendations for
the coming year the seIectmen estimate
that town tax of 30 cents Git was 53
cents for the year just closed) will be
ample to meet current expenses for the
coming year, figuring a yield of $42,-
1868 on the 1920 grand list. This is
probably n safe estimate especially in
view of the fact that the 1921 grand
list will be considerably increased by
the inclusion of the Fort Drummer mills
property. However, the selectmen point
out that their estimate of expenses for
the coming year does not include the
bridge loss and high water damage
now carried under the head of tempo
rary loans. Obviously, if none of this
Indebtedness is to be met out. of next
years income it will have to be taken
care of in the forms of bonds, which
would mean. after deducting the sc oOO