The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-08
City Council Recedes From
Plan to Say How Much
Shall Be Spent
FORMER CALLED
TT INTERFERENCE
So Charter Will Be Amend
ed Merely to Raise Pos
sible Tax to $1.35

On a protest by the city school com
missioners, the Barre city council last
night voted to reeede from its posi-
tion of seeking through charter amend
ment to assess the annual tax for
school purposes as "in its Judgment
seemed advisable, the proposed amend
ment taking the right out of the hands
of the commissioners to determine the
amount. As the matter now stands,
the legislation to be sought of the leg
islature will be merely to raise the
limit of school taxation from 81 to
$l.35 on the dollar of the grand list.
The school commissioners in the first
place had asked for l50 limit.
The bill now in the legislature had
been amended by the committee on ed
ucation so that the city council would
have to assess not less than three
fourths of the amount recommended
by the school commissioners, that
amendment having been added all un-
beknownst to either the city council
or the commissioners and the bill hav
ing been passed by the House and sent
to the Senate.
In appearing before the city council
last night, the commissioners stated
their resentment at what seemed to
them a reflection on their Judgment
as to what amount of money is needed
by the city schools and their objection
TO being deprived of long established
privilege of determining the amount
needed each year for the schools. They
also expressed displeasure at not being
called into conference on the amend
ment giving the city council the levy
ing authority and themselves only the
recommendatorv power. They said
they had supposed the only amend
ment to he made to the charter was
to raise the maximum school tax from
81 TO sl35. and they had found an
other change giving the city council
the right to assess the tax 'in its
Judgment" The commissioners want
ed to know whether their Judgment
wasn't good enough
The commissioners said, further
more, that they intended to go before
the legislature and fight for the right
to determine the amount of tax to he
raised for the city schools, If the city
council persisted in the plan.
In explaining the action of the board
Of aldermen, Chairman Scott of the
legislation committee said they felt
that the city council. having the power
TO assess the city tax, should have the
right to fix the levy for each and every
of the city, schools in
cluded that the amendment conferring
the power on the council to fix the
school tax was to act as a check on any
school board which might be in Office
and was not reflection on the pres
ent board of commissioners. Re agreed,
however, that the school board ought
to have been consulted on that pro-
posed change.
In conclusion Alderman Scott said
that since the action had been taken
Dy the city there had developed in the
,ity council a desire TO recede from
hat position; and in furtherance of
hat desire he, later on in the meet
ng, moved that a member of the coun
III be sent to Montpelier TO have the
'harter amendment framed merely 10
over the proposed raise in the maxi
mum tax from 81 to Sl.35. On mo
ton OF Alderman Keast. Alderman |
Scott was designated as such mem
Der.
So, after a brief discussion over pro- |
POSED increase in fire insurance on the /
chool buildings, the conference be-
ween the city council and the school 4
ended most amicably.
Other business before the city coun-
il in one Of the final meetings Of the |
present administration was slight. A
esolution relating to departmental ap- I
was ordered 10 a second 4
eading. This resolution calls for $3.50 /
or sewers, the same for the South 4
lain street bridge. $500 for salaries 4
md 500 for printing and stationery.
The building Inspector reported two
minor permits granted in January
Among the bills ordered paid was
ne for 81 Gas to meet the poor de
,artment expenses for January. 9th
r. were: Granite Savings Bank & I
trust Co, 81 .039O6 for interest ~
IS 600 notes; J. r. Spencer. $50;
treet' payroll. S30l %. engineering
,ay. Si7.as: wster paw. sl03.70; FIRE
nen's paw. sla6.55; police paw. SS5-S5:
:. J.. Booth. $40; Miss Gridley, s26; i
}. VI. GilbertsOn, sll.40