Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-12-15
Written for the Vermont Phoenix.1
Equalization of the Grand List,

!
There appears to be quite spirited con
treversy going on in the Burlington ant
st. Adams papers in regard to the doing
OF the equalizing committee of tie Hous,
of Representatives. Now this difficult,
was brought about by the action O
the listers of Burlington in attempting t.
dictate to the listers of the different town,
IN the State, presume to every town il
the State, as several were received in this
county. but were generally disregarded
and | believe in eight of the towns in
Chittenden county; and when the board
OF listers met to equalize their lists, they
found the appraisals varied from one-third
to the full value, and could not agree upon
any basis to equalize, and adjourned tc
the first Tuesday in October. At the ad,
journed meeting, Mr.. Lane of Jericho
presented the appraisal of that town as q
substitute for the one-third valuation OF
the former meeting. By the present an.
praisal, farming lands are valued at an
average of $47.33. Mr.. Hurlburt of Es-
sex, stated that the theory of the listers Of
Essex was to apprsise property at what
they thought it would sell for at auction.
They designed to get about one-third of
the value of the property. Their average
for farming lands per acre was SIG. 10.
Mr.. Sanderson of Milton, stated that their
appraisal was about 90 per cent. of the
cash value of the property. Mr., I.andon
OF Hinesburgh stated that they made
their appraisal at what the land would
sell for cash down. Of course not as high
as when sold on long time Their average
s., So l., IN
Mr.. Mason of Richmond stated that they
intended to appreise their real estate at
about one-third It's cash value. Their
average per acre for farming lands was
$16.24 Mr.. Beach said real estate
in Westford was appraised at about
what it would bring for cash aver
age per acre for farm lands $3.50. Mr.
Mead said they had raised the appraisal
of Underhili from Is to 90 per cent high
err than five years ago. They intended TO
sppFaise land at one-third to oue-half of
its actual cash value average per acre
for farming lands $500 Mr.. Reed of
Shelburn said it was the intention to ap-
praise the property at it's cash value.
Average rate of farm lands per acre $40 So.
Mr.. Judson of Huntington said they
were governed IN making their appraisal
by the requirements of the statute. Their
average tor farming lands per acre was
$3.50. Mr.. Shaw IF Bolton said their
appraisals were made at about 40 per cent
of the cash value. Mr.. Mason would be
willing to raise the apprais4ls of all towns
to cash value, provided the thing was
general throughout the State But he
was of the opinion that a cash valuation
would compel Chittenden county to pay
more than its proportion Of State taxes
He considered the experiment would be
too expensive for Chttenden county. He
understood that several counties were
standing the same or even lower than five
years ago. Mr.. Alger moved that the APP
praisal of Jericho be taken as a basis. Mr..
Mason moved as an amendment, that one.
third of the appraisal be taken as basis.
The vote on the amendment was taken by
ayes and nays, and resulted as follows =
Ayes Shaw, Weston, Leavenworth, Hurl.
burt, Lane, Sanderson, Mason, Mead
Nays-Alger, Landon, Judson, Reed, Van
Sioklen, Tillay, Basnh. Fay. The chair
man announced the amendment as lost,
and the question occurred on the original
motion, with the following result Ayes
Alger, Landon, Judson, Reed, Van Sick
len, Tilley, Beach, Fay. Nays-Shaw,
Weston, Leaveuworth, Hurlburt, Lane,
Mason, Mead. Mr.. Yves.
ton moved that half of the list of Jeri-
cho be taken as basis. Messrs. Alger
and Mason thought that the convention
had better adjourn without further dis
cussiop, and let the matter be settled by
the Legislature. The chairman said that
the neglect to assess reel estate in accord
ance with the statute compels the poor
man, who pays full tax, to pay much
more than should justly be his proportion,
and he was of the opionion that Chitten-
den county should take forward step in
the matter. There is no argument
against appraising property at its full
value, if the same course is adopted by
the whole State. On motion of Mr.. Lam
don, the convention then adjourned sine
die.
Below we give the Appraisal! of the
towns in Chittenden county by the listers,
with the amount returned to the Secre-
tary of State, by members of the Legisla-
ture from Chittenden county, who were
an equalizing committee by
an act Of the Legislature, and | ask every
candid person whether the amount re-
turned shows fairness toward the rest of
the StateP 1t was said Burlington had
an object in view in getting their own
appraisal in at 81 cents on the dollar of it's
as there is a tax levied upon
the county for building ourt-house,
and they probably wished the rest of the
q ~us in the county to pay more than a
air Nroportion of the tax, as was rumored
,bout tie State House. When the equal
ZINC conn >ittee met, after considerable
Iiscnssion and testimony taken in regard
O appraisals. the basis was agreed upon
4 fti cents on the do lar, and such coun-
les as were above that standard were to
,e reduced, and those beloIv TO be raised.
IN Monday MOI ming, Nov. 21st, the COM
nittee met, and Mr.. Parks of Waterford
moved that Addison, Bennington, La
noille, Orange and Washington counties
we're appraised Al the standard
Is cents; that Chittsnden coun-
" be raised so per cent. Essex
md Grand Isle counties be raised 10 per
ent, Franklin county 80 per cent, Orleans
per cent. and Caledonia, Rutland, Wind
,an and Windsor counties reduced upper
ent, which motion was put by the CHAIR
nan and carried, II to 3. And the chair
nan was directed to draw mp report in
accordance with the above resolution,
which was done, and signed by ii OF the
committee, and adopted In the House OF
by yeas l4o, nays 90.
What reason has Chittenden county to
complain, when the appraisal by the list
RS was 4,540,S01 so, and the commit
zee struck off $8,137, 1924, leaving the
.mount to stand as their list $6.403, 606.-
,6-44 cents ON the dollar of the appraisal
~ the listers ?
In an article of the Burlington free
Press of Dec. I'd, there is quite lengthy
.rticle in answer to an article in the Rut-
md HERALD of Nov. Goth, signed "Can-
Ior." The writer in the Free Press tries
o rebut "Candor's statements, and
mong them the amount returned, "A
ents, and says the committee returned 90
ents on the dollar after aeduoting 10 per
ent on Burlington, which is a slight mis-
AXE; for after deducting the 10 per cent
n Burlington, so per cent of the balance
nor Al 81. x.l%