St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-01-03
Unequal Taxation.

ton is concerned, they might as well
quote the valuation of the city of Bos-
ton, to sustain their position. 1t is ex-
pected that rich man will have IL
larger grand list than poor man. and
so with rich counties compared with
those not so rich.
In regard to the addition of the per
cent. that IL TO he considered III relation
to the manner in which the appraisal
stood when laid before the Legislature,
10y the several county equalizing con-
ventions. 1t seems that the Legislature
considered their appraisals too low,
comparatively, and therefore raised
them to AN equality with the appraisalS
of other counties of the state. 1t is pre-
sumed, that, with the appraisal of the
committee on the grand list, i'll the Leg
islaturc, had ample reasons for report
ing the increase they did to the grand
lists of the counties i'll question. The
committee investigated the whole mat
ter us we have understood.
Equality" i'll the article referred to,
slIstains the action of the committee.
His statements, if correct, made it I'M
perative upon the Legislature, to raise
the grand lists of these counties. Bank
and other stocks III Caledonia county,
of par value, have always been put in
the list at par. If it has not been the
custom i'll these complaining counties
to do so, they have cheated the state
out of one-half of the taxes upon such
stocks. 1t is late day for them to do
right now, and pay their share of taxes
with Windsor, Caledonia and the 9th
or counties of the state with fair and
honest appraisalS.
We have been aware. for some Years.
that two. at least. of these complaining
counties did not apprase their proper
ty upon an equality with the property
of Caledonia county. The statement of
the Woodstock paper simply confirms
our prior convictions, and .juStitieS the
action of the Legislature.
If the discussions which the complaint
ants have initiated serves to confirm
these facts. it will evoke wholesome re-
that because il culprit may have stolen
his dinner he will not he Justified i'll
stealing his supper. There may he a
chance for IL resort to legal measures
upon the other side. if not outlawed or
estopplcd 1.-The issue, 10y the
state, of Il writ of Ieplevin. to recover
taxes. heretofore uniustly withheld from
the state, 10y these now helligerent
counties. Let the reader take Walton'S
Register and compare the population
and grand lists of these counties for ten
Years prior to 1870, with the same of
other counties of the state, and find, if
they can. what force there is in our al
fusion to the past.
We give below the population and
grand lists of Chittenden and Franklin
counties for Is12, compared with Gale
donna county, not as showing any thing
conclusive, but suggestive, comparing
the relation between population and
valuation.
Pop. Grand List.
Franklin county, :0.29I 99.O53.1O
county, 81. 400 I:}2 .O72.9-
Caledonia county, % .2t5 S6.4S0.I IL
This matter has been brought before
the people of the state. 1t is to he con
by them, for legal gentlemen
advise the people of these counties to
assume rebcllious attitude towards the
state. We have given the subject some
and unless more light is
reflected upon the question So as to
change the aspect of the same, our adj
vice to the people will he to stand with
their feet firmly planted upon the ram
parts of justice and allow the recusantS
to etfrrvesce till the fogs of setishness
become dispellcd, and they shall he able
to look upon the facts more dispassion-
ately than they now do. Below is the
article to which we alluded, from the
Woodstock Standard:
IF Chittcnden, Franklin, and Grand
Isle Counties ale really oppressed as
they claim and seem to believe. it is a
disgrace to the rest of the state. But
how is it ?
The real estate in Windsor county. so
far as | know, is set i'll the list at an av-
erage valuation of two thirds its market
or selling value. think most of the
many farms now offered for sale here
can be bought for il price found by tax
ing the listers valuation and adding
fifty per cent.
| know that some of the owners
would gladly take less. Can Chitten-
den or Franklin say the same of their
farms?
| recently ''interviewed" a prominent
citizen of Franklin county, a gentleman
very thoroughly posted in the value or
selling prices of farms in his county.
and who has been a lister often and
knows the listers valuation: and he
could not call to mind or cItea single in
stance within his knowledge of ii farm
that can he bought for double the sum
at which it stands in the list On the
contrary he could cite many instances
of farms that have sold and others that
could he sold for much than double the
listers valuation as left by the equaliz-
ing committee of the Legislature or in
other words. the farms stand in the list
to-day AT less than one-hdf their mar
ket value.
How is that for oppression But
real estates does not constitute the
whole of the grand list. and is there any