News & Citizen

Serving the People of Lamoille County with News Since 1881

Volume 123     No 10 No 5569            March 1 2007 Thursday                           Morrisville, VT 05661                        Web Edition

Research Cambridge Historic Roads The remnants of the old County Road in the Pleasant Valley, Cambridge, are plainly visible – bridge abutments, old culverts, and fence lines on either side are evidence of a time when this was the fastest way to get from Cambridge Village to Underhill. Continued on Page 2 Click here to check out the new Lamoille Home Buyer Guide Cambridge Looks to Future at Town Meeting by Mickey Smith CAMBRIDGE ­– The Town of Cambridge hopes to get the first domino moving in a host of construction/renovation projects on the horizon around town. Continued on Page 2 Non-Contentious Morristown Info Meeting by J.B. McKinley MORRISVILLE – A crowd of no more than 35, including officials, attended Morristown’s annual pre-Town Meeting informational meeting held Tuesday night, February 27, in the Elementary School library. Continued on Page 2  Visitors For Questions or Comments on this web site please contact webmaster at http://www.kingdomsedge.com dan@kingdomsedge.com The Morristown School Board members, all of whom were applauded for their cost conscious budgeting efforts. From left to right are: Judy Geer, Will Spalding, Peter Jones, Kathleen Demars, and Dr. Phil Kiely, Jr. McKinley photo Belvidere to Shift School Costs by Mickey Smith BELVIDERE – Since the building isn’t being used as a school, the Belvidere School Board hopes to shift the cost of upkeep of the building to the town. Continued on Page 2 ATVs & Selectboard Expansion in Eden by Mickey Smith EDEN – In case a modest two and a half percent increase to the selectboard funding and highway department isn’t enough to raise the hackles of residents, perhaps an article asking to open some of Eden’s roads to ATVs or one looking to raise the membership of the selectboard to five members will draw lively debate at Eden’s Town Meeting. Continued on Page 2 Read all the News, Sports and More Click Here To Subscribe Today Looking for something? Search for: Copyright © 2004 News&Citizen Inc. All rights reserved. Have a press release? edit@newsandcitizen.com e-mail correspondence concerning advertising should be addressed to news@newsandcitizen.com

Things Look This Way to Me

Editorial by J.B. McKinley 3/1/07

Who’s Giving Whom a Break?

Nope, it wasn’t the need for a half million dollars of new roof. Nope, it wasn’t the request for a new back-up ambulance. Yep, it was the explanation of a new veterans’ benefit that had me instantly  steaming and ashamed of state politics and government.

It is not the fact of being able to offer veterans a bigger break on their property taxes based on exempting up to $40,000 of their assessment. It was the cheap, penny ante, two-bit weaselly manner in which the state passed the buck to the towns to pay for this break. It brings to mind some sleazeball bum putting on a pressed suitcoat from the Salvation Army, walking into an upscale restaurant looking like a gent, ordering in a tony fake accent, eating and leaving without paying the check.

What am I talking about? Well, I’m trusting Morristown Town Clerk Mary Ann Wilson to have it right. She explained last night that for many years Vermont towns have been granting certain veterans, first, a $10,000 exemption on their property taxes. About 10 years ago this amount was allowed to go up to $20,000. Now, in a moment of generosity and supposed recognition of the debt owed to veterans the state has allowed towns to offer up to a $40,000 exemption. That sounds great, right? Personally, I would support the new level as a nice gesture. Though not really a big deal given today’s assessments of our residences, I’m told this would give 21 Morristown veterans a pleasant tax break.

And so it will, but the state included a Catch-22. The state won’t let its tax collections go down! The state will only subsidize the first $10,000. Presumably that means, since Morristown voters had already authorized the $20,000 exemption, we taxpayers will even have to make up the taxes owed on that $10,000 boost, plus whatever we all decide to authorize this year, up to the $40,000 level.

Let me state my position. I think the $40,000 exemption is a compassionate move that Morristown and other towns can probably afford, as Mrs. Wilson says it will cost us 1/3 of a cent on Morristown’s tax rate. But I think the Legislature is a parsimonious and hypocritical body in this case. Either give the tax break and forgo the taxes or pass no law.

Montpelier, either honor veterans or don’t. Don’t tell the towns “You pay for our charity.” Folks, lots of this kind of lawmaking  with the check being passed down the line, but this example is as blatant as can possibly be. Hey, Montpelier, really want to be cheap, next time pass a  resolution, that’s free and might even be sincere.