USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1908-1909 > Part 5
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704,248.64
On Dec. 31, 1907, the sinking fund was. . 117,976.57 On Dec. 31, 1908, the sinking fund is. . 139,698.06
Increase during the year $21,721.49
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
From the above it appears that the amount added to the fixed debt during the year is $61,000. This is made up of $45,000 for the addition to the Locke School, $7,000 for re- newal of cement lined pipe, $3,000 for new streets, namely, Sawin Street, Summer Street and Wollaston Avenue, $2,000 for extension of water mains and $4,000 for additional playground for Locke School.
All of this added indebtedness is in the form of serial notes maturing from 1909 to 1926 inclusive. A part of that spent for new streets will be returned in betterment assessments.
The amount of fixed debt maturing during the year and paid is $11,450, which subtracted from the amount added during the year leaves a net increase of $49,550, or a total indebted- ness Dec. 31, 1908 of $704,248.64. If the sinking fund is taken into account, as should be, the net debt will be $564,550.58.
The tax rate for 1908 is $19.30 on $1,000, which is 50 cents greater than it was in 1907.
STATE, COUNTY AND METROPOLITAN TAXES.
State Tax
1907 $12,120.00
1908 $16,665.00
Increase $4,545.00
County Tax
10,692.58
10,508.38
184.20*
Metropolitan Sewer Tax
6,101.25
9,507.36
3,406. 1 1
Metropolitan Water Tax
14,738.4I
16,552.50
1,814.09
Metropolitan Park Tax
4,682.75
5,129.49
446.64
$48,334.99
$58,362.73
$10,027.64
*Decrease.
From the above it will be seen that the state, county and metropolitan taxes play considerable part in fixing the amount of our tax rate. The increase in these taxes in 1908 over those of 1907 is $10,027.64. This increase makes a difference of a dollar or more to the tax rate.
STATE TAX. In 1907 the total state tax for the entire state was $4,000,000. This year it is $5,500,000., or an increase of $1,500,000. This increase was occasioned largely by the in- creased cost in the maintenance of the various state depart- ments, the purchase of armories, and expenditures for new public buildings, mostly for charitable and hospital purposes. The tax is made up by the Tax Commissioner, and is based largely on the number of polls and property valuation.
Arlington is one of the 33 cities and 321 towns in the Com- monwealth called upon to pay this tax. This year the Town's
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
share is $16,665 and equals $3.03 for every $1,000 of the total state tax.
The State Tax having grown to such proportion and destined to still further increase, special attention is being given to the matter of a more equitable distribution, in order that the burden may fall upon those cities and towns best able to bear it.
Various propositions have been suggested, one of which is to take the corporation taxes now distributed to cities and towns.
A tabulation by the State Treasurer shows that if this had been done in 1907 the result would have been a gain to 256 cities and towns over the present plan and a loss to 98 cities and towns. The gain to Arlington would have been $4,308.27
The solution of the problem will be somewhat in the hands of our representatives to the General Court, hence, the repre- sentatives from this district may be called upon to pass judg- ment.
COUNTY TAX. The total county tax for the county of Mid- dlesex for the year 1907 was $615,300. This year it is $604,- 700, being a decrease of $10,600. The tax is made up by the Tax Commissioner and is apportioned among the 9 cities and 8 towns of the county, on a similar basis as that of the State Tax.
Arlington's share this year is $10,508.38, or $184.20 less than it was last year. During the last three years this tax has been about the same and we know of no special reason for further increase at present.
METROPOLITAN WATER TAX. The Metropolitan Water Dis- trict comprises 9 cities and 10 towns, of which Arlington is one, having joined the district in 1898. The total tax for the entire district in 1907 was $2,195,406.71. This year it is $2,- 271,151.53, an increase of $75,744.82 over last year. This in- crease is occasioned mostly by new construction and exten- sion. The tax is based on property valuation and consump- tion of water.
Arlington's share this year is $16,552.50, or an increase of $1,814.09 over last year.
As the tax is based one-third on valuation and two-thirds on consumption of water it behooves cities and towns to check waste and stop leaks.
The unnecessary and wasteful consumption of water in the district is estimated from one-third to one-half the amount supplied by the water works.
53
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
The average daily consumption of water in Arlington in 1907 was 940,775 gallons. This year it is 971,408 gallons.
METROPOLITAN SEWER TAX. Arlington in one of the 9 cities and 8 towns embraced in the North Metropolitan Sewerage District and has been such from the organization of the dis- trict. The total tax for the district in 1907 was $270,448.12. This year it is $426,267.84, an increase of $115,819.72. This unusual increase is because of new construction and extension and to some extent is apparent only, as the assessment for 1907 was unusually small owing to certain readjustments in book-keeping accounts made by the State Treasurer. The apportionment of this tax is based on property valuation and population.
Arlington's share this year is $9,507.36, an increase of $3,- 406.11 or 50 per cent. more than it was in 1907, but as is stated above, part of this increase is apparent only.
METROPOLITAN PARK TAX. The Metropolitan Park District embraces 13 cities and 26 towns, of which Arlington is one. Thus far, however, the town appears to have received very little, if any, direct benefit, although the Town has contributed for the district to date about $33,766.92. In 1907 the total tax for the entire system was $974,297.81. This year it is $1,- 068,100.03, an increase of $93,902.22 occasioned by additional cost in care and maintenance, and by extension and construc- tion.
Arlington's share this year is $5,129.49, an increase of $446 .- 64 over that of 1907.
While the benefit to the Town derived from both the Metro- politan Water and Sewer Taxes is direct and positive, the benefit from the Metropolitan Park Tax is indirect and in- definite, there being until recently no Metropolitan parks or parkways within the borders of the Town, the short stretch along Mystic River now being under construction.
The Alewife Brook improvements, however, anticipate parkways along said brook and adjacent territory, from which the Town is expected to receive considerable direct benefit.
WHEN WILL THE METROPOLITAN TAXES BE LESS? Our Met- ropolitan Water, Sewer and Park taxes have been gradually increasing and the question naturally arises,-"when will they begin to decrease?"
The gross Metropolitan Water debt May 1, 1908 was $40,- 500,000, none of which matures until July 1, 1935.
The gross North Metropolitan Sewer debt May 1, 1908 was $6,150,000, none of which becomes due until Jan. 1, 1930.
The gross Metropolitan Park debt May 1, 1908, including
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
boulevards was $11,957,500, none of which matures until Jan. 1, 1934.
As the larger part of these metropolitan taxes is to meet interest and sinking fund requirements, and as interest and sinking fund charges will continue until the bonds are paid, it appears from the above that no material decrease can be expected until the bonded indebtedness begins to mature, which will not be for many years,-say from twenty-one to twenty-six years.
Pending the maturity of the above indebtedness additional construction and extension will doubtless be demanded and this with probable increased cost in maintenance will still further increase these taxes.
The following shows what part of these taxes paid by Arlington for 1008 was to meet interest, sinking fund and maintenance.
For Interest
For Sink- ing Fund $3,786.79
Mainte-
nance
Met. Water Tax
$10,447.70
$2,318.01
Met. Sewer Tax
4,534.76
1,293.30 696.04
2,480.79
SINKING FUND. $546,600 of our fixed debt is on the sink- ing fund basis. This includes water, sewer, park, high school and town house site loans.
All of these loans were authorized by special Acts of Legis- lature, and all of these Acts contained provision requiring the establishment of a sinking fund, in each case, sufficient with accumulation to extinguish the debt at maturity, and which funds could not be used for any other purpose.
These provisions, however, were never carried out.
In 1875 a law was passed by the Legislature practically obliging towns to establish sinking funds for municipal in- debtedness especially for loans running over 10 years.
In 1878 the Town appropriated $5,497.97 for the purpose of establishing a sinking fund, and elected three Sinking Fund Commissioners.
At that time the Town debt consisted of about $300,000 for water and $140,000 for miscellaneous notes amounting in all to about $440,000.
Since that time annual appropriations differing in amount have been made to the sinking fund, but not until the last few years have they been sufficient with accumulation to meet the debts at maturity.
Our sinking fund has always been general in character
3,679.30
Met. Park Tax
1,952.66
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
rather than specific, never having been classified or made up, in full compliance with statute requirements. For this reason when $217,000 of water bonds became due in 1892 there was only about $42,000 in the sinking fund to meet said bonds. The result was that $34,000 only of the bonds were paid and the balance, $183,000, was refunded as authorized by special Legislative enactment on a basis of 30 years extension, thus putting off to later generations what perhaps properly be- longed to a former one to pay.
It ought to be said, however, that the great and unexpected increase in the water debt occasioned especially by claims against the Town for land and mill damages made it hardly possible for the Town to meet all of its liabilities at maturity without unreasonable hardship. The situation, therefore, re- quired relief, which was afforded by the refunding scheme re- ferred to above.
Up to Jan. 1, 1908, nearly $370,000 have been contributed to the sinking fund and over $280,000 paid out.
Of the amount paid out $117,000 was for water debt and $163,000 to meet debts of a miscellaneous character, which the general character of the sinking fund appeared to allow.
In 1883 nearly all of the sinking fund was drawn out to pay miscellaneous debts.
In 1898 all of the sinking fund was drawn upon to meet water debt then maturing.
At the time the sinking fund was entirely empty the in- debtedness of the Town that was on a sinking fund basis amounted to about $493,100.
On Dec. 31, 1908, the sinking fund amounts to $139,698.06, and if classified would be apportioned to water, sewer, park, town house site, and high school loans.
This amount is what has accumulated since the fund was empty in 1898 over and above $25,000 or more paid out for miscellaneous notes not properly on the sinking fund basis.
From 1900 inclusive the Town has followed the policy of contributing to the sinking fund at least $15,000 annually and this policy is to be commended-for to it is due the excellent condition of the fund to-day. If this policy is continued it will liquidate all present fixed indebtedness of the Town at maturity, except what is provided for by serial notes.
$91,000 of the water debt becomes due in 1912 and $64,600, the high school debt, in 1913, both of which will be paid from the sinking fund. From 1922 to 1928, $224,000 of water debt becomes due which the sinking fund must meet. Later the sewer, town house site and park loans, amounting to $167,- 000, mature, all of which are to be paid from the sinking fund.
56
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
All departments in whose behalf a loan has been contracted should feel special interest in and contribute, if possible, towards the payment of said loan.
Most departments, having no income, are unable to do this. The water department, however, is an exception and pos- sibly the sewer department.
From 1873 to 1901, a period of 28 years, the water depart- ment contributed nothing to the sinking fund. Since and in- cluding the latter date, however, the department has been self-supporting, that is to say, it's income has been sufficient to pay for maintenance, interest and sinking fund require- ments and the metropolitan water tax. This is what should be and doubtless would have been at an earlier date had it not been for extraordinary expenditures.
Section 21 of the Metropolitan Water Act anticipates this self-support and reads as follows :
APPLICATION OF INCOME.
Section 21. The income received in each city or town from the water works under the charge of its water board, water commissioners or superintendent, shall be applied to the payment of the expenses of maintenance and operation incurred by said water board, water commissioners or super- intendent; the interest and sinking fund requirements of all bonds, notes or scrip of the city or town issued on account of the water works of such city or town; the assessment of the city or town to be paid to the treasurer of the Common- wealth as hereinbefore provided; the expenses of the exten- sion of the works; and the balance, if any, as the city or town may determine. If such income in any year shall not be suf -- ficient for said payments the balance required therefor shall be raised by taxation or by loan, as the city or town may de- termine; and the city or town is hereby authorized to assess such taxes and make such loans without further authority from the Legislature.
During the last eight years the department has contributed $70,000 to the fund. This speaks well and it is hoped the de- partment will be able in the future to contribute more largely in view of the fact that the water debt is nearly half of our entire indebtedness, and that previous to 1901 no contribution was made by the water department.
SERIAL NOTES. At the present time, Dec. 31, 1908, $157,- 648.64 of our fixed debt is on the serial note basis. The loans on the serial note basis are school house except the high school, part of the water and sewer loans, suspense, police signal system and street loans. No part of the serial notes 110W existing mature later than 1926.
57
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
Some of our serial notes cover rather short periods when fully maturing, and the question arises as to the advisability of having all serial notes hereafter issued cover the full period allowed by law; especially should this be the case with loans for water, sewer and school house purposes, etc. This policy will make the annual payments the minimum in amount.
The periods allowed by law for various purposes for which loans may be issued are indicated as follows :
Water loans, 30 years ; sewer loans, 30 years ; school house and other public buildings and for land, 20 years; parks, 30 years ; public playgrounds, 30 years ; municipal lighting plant, 30 years ; other loans, 10 years.
These periods indicate that future generations should share in the expense of work whose life is co-existant with said generations. This fact should be considered in apportioning payments on the serial note basis.
Section 13 of chapter 27 of the Revised Laws was amended by chapter 341, Acts of 1908 so as to read as follows :
Section 13. A city or town, instead of establishing a sink- ing fund, may vote to provide for the payments of any debt by such proportionate or other annual payments as will ex- tinguish the same at maturity, so that the amount of such an- nual payment in any year and the whole interest of such debt payable in the same year shall not altogether be less than the aggregate amount of principal and interest payable in any sub- sequent year, and thereupon such annual amount shall, with- out further vote, be assessed under the provisions of section thirty-seven of chapter twelve until such debt is extinguished.
LOOKING AHEAD. A wise administration of town affairs keeps in mind the fixed indebtedness of the Town, the ways and means provided for meeting the same at maturity, and exercises reasonable restraint and 'discrimination relative to expenditures that tend to increase said indebtedness. The fixed indebtedness of the Town as it stands December 31, 1908, is divid- ed as follows :
Water Loans
$348,000.00
Sewer Loans
II9,000.00
Park Loans 15,000.00
School Loans I57,248.64 Town House Site Loan 52,000.00
Suspense Loan 3,000.00
Police Signal System Loan 3,000.00
New Streets Loan
7,000.00
Total fixed debt.
$704,248.64
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
While we paid $11,450 of the debt this year and also put in the Sinking Fund $17,000, making $28,450 towards the liquida- tion of the debt we added $61,000 making a net increase to the debt (counting the Sinking Fund appropriation) of $32,550 for the year.
It thus appears that our fixed debt is increasing, notwith- standing our liberal payments towards it's reduction.
Furthermore, by looking ahead it will be seen that addi- tional demands will need to be met tending to still further in- crease the debt.
Among these prospective demands may be mentioned the following :
I. Renewal of old cement lined pipe. 20287 feet of this pipe remains to be replaced, the estimated cost of which is from $30,000 to $35,000. This money will doubtless be bor- rowed as heretofore. The renewal of this pipe has been going on for some years although the original pipe has not yet been paid for.
2. Extension of water-pipe. Short extensions will fre- quently be called for as dwellings extend, and longer exten- sions needed as new streets open up. These extensions have been met by borrowing.
3. Extension of sewerage system. The same remarks concerning water pipe extension apply to sewer pipe exten- sion.
4. New streets. Considerable development of territory for residential purposes is likely in the near future. This will cause extensive laying out of new streets which when accepted by the Town will require considerable borrowing for con- struction purposes.
5. School buildings. Additional school facilities will be demanded in the near future. Statistics appear to show that the number of school children in town increases at a much greater rate than population or valuation. To meet these ad- ditional accomodations considerable borrowing will be neces- sary.
6. Alewife Brook Improvements. The Alewife Brook Im- provements now in process of construction under the direction of the Metropolitan Park Commission sooner or later will re- quire an annual tax to meet the cost of said improvements. This tax must be sufficient to meet interest and sinking fund requirements on a bonded indebtedness of $125,000 due in 20 years. Arlington's share is 24 per cent. This tax, however, affects our debt only indirectly as the tax will doubtless be raised by taxation, the same as our Park Tax.
7. Renewal of cast iron water pipe. We have 76,061 feet
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
of this pipe on the low service and 96,791 feet on the high service. While there is no necessity for immediate renewal of this pipe, it is well to have the matter in mind, so that when renewal takes place, it may be done under such a system and so distributed, as to enable the Town to meet the expense by not overburdening any one year. Some of the pipe has been laid for twenty-five or thirty years, and the life of the pipe is said to be fifty years or more.
UNEXPENDED BALANCES. Appropriations made at the March Meeting are expected to meet the expenses of the current year. This expectation is reasonable because the appropriations are based on the various estimates of departments and the recom- mendations of the Committee of Twenty-One.
To such an extent of late years have the several departments kept within the March appropriation, the question has arisen as to the advisability of doing away entirely with the Novem- ber town meeting except for the election of State Officers.
The Board is of the opinion that no town meeting for town business should be held other than the March Meeting, except in case of urgent necessity.
We are glad to report that all departments during the year, with few exceptions, have kept within the March appropria- tions and report unexpended balances. Those that did not were apparently justified in asking for and receiving additional appropriations in November.
The net unexpended balances available for transfer amount to $II,430.36, a sum quite material in holding down the tax rate.
The policy of the Town has been to take these unexpended balances for the Sinking Fund, thus encouraging all depart- ments to contribute in a way to this fund.
As suggested elsewhere every department should feel inter- est in the liquidation of our fixed debt.
The sooner our fixed debt is extinguished, the sooner will larger appropriations be available for department expendi- ture.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENSES. There is necessity of a syste- matic classification, or summary of expenditures, somewhat uniform in character, for all departments.
An intelligent comparison of one department with another and of one year with another cannot well be made without a clear, definite and somewhat uniform arrangement of expenses. It aids, too, in tracing leaks and waste.
This classification should show clearly what has been ex- pended for straight maintenance, what for construction and
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
what for extension, and should especially mention items of unusual character in each.
Whether a department is managed with reasonable economy is more easily determined by such a classification.
Estimates for future appropriations are more intelligently made up and more intelligently considered.
The Board are of the opinion that such a classification or sum- mary is businesslike and of advantage both to departments and the town.
It is hoped that the various departments will take this matter under consideration.
Possibly it may come within the jurisdiction of the auditor either to require the same or make the classification himself.
FIRE DEPARTMENT. Nothing unusual has transpired in this department during the year. The high standing of the depart- ment heretofore recorded has been sustained and harmony and good-feeling have existed through the year.
Walter H. Peirce has shown that no mistake was made in his election as Chief, and that the confidence the department had in him was not misplaced.
For detail of work during the year attention is called to the Chief's report.
POLICE DEPARTMENT. This department has been under the same force as the year previous, and the high degree of ef- ficiency in its work has been maintained. Cases of murder, or attempt to murder, have demanded much time and labor from the department during the year, and the expenses there- from called for an extra appropriation of $600 at the November Town Meeting.
On account of the excellent services of Patrolman Daniel W. Hooley in the past, and especially during the year, he was promoted to the position of Inspector with the rank of Lieu- tenant, with increase of pay, services beginning May 16, 1908, the date of promotion.
The lack of proper cell room and the unsanitary condition of the same, together with the inconvenient quarters of the present police office, prompted the Board to call the attention of the Town to the matter at the November meeting. At this meeting the matter was referred to a special committee of five appointed by the Moderator, said committee to investi- gate and report at the next March Meeting with recommenda- tions.
The advisability of using the Robbins House for police quarters should be considered. This will not only provide
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SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
ample room for lock-up and office facilities, but will give room in the Town Hall for other departments now somewhat cramped.
The Chief's report gives detail of work to which attention is called.
OUTSIDE POOR. The work of this department differs little from year to year.
While the regular list has required less expense than the year before, and while several families on this list were helped a part of the year from the income of the poor widows fund, the net cost of maintaining the department is larger than the year previous.
This is owing principally to the increased number of sick poor at city and state hospitals, the increased number of fam- ilies aided elsewhere, but having settlement here, and the care of inmates formerly at the almshouse, but now on the outside poor account.
The number of applications for aid has been larger than heretofore owing doubtless to the recent business depression.
Had it not been for receipts from unpaid bills due the Town from old accounts being in excess of unpaid bills against the town on old accounts and paid, the net cost of maintenance would have been somewhat larger.
It is not always easy to tell when and where to bestow the most effective aid when applicants apply for assistance, al- though each case is investigated. Recipients are not all equally appreciative of the aid rendered and some are rather inclined to abuse the same, still it is perhaps best for the Town to err on the liberal rather than the penurious side. It is the children who are to be especially considered.
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