Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-01-10

We notice that the Caied0HiaH and one or
two other Vermont papers, copy recent
communication signed Equity" on the
,dbject OF unequal taxation, which seems to
have appeared in the Woodstock Standard
oftwo weeks ago, but which has hitherto
escaped our notice. 1t is as follows
'lf Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle
counties are really oppressed a. they claim
and seem TO believe, it is disgrace to the
rest Of the state. But how Is it?
The real estate in Windsor county. 50 far
IL | know, is set in the list at an average
valuation Of two-thirds its market or selling
value. | think most of the many farms now
offered for sale here can be bought for
price found by taking the listers valuation
and adding fifty per cent.
| know that some Of the owners would
gladly take less. Can Chittenden or Frank
lin say the same of their farms?
| recently interviewed" 4 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 lister often and
knows the listers valuation and he
could not call TO mind or cite single in
stance within his knowledge of farm
that can be bought for double the sum at
which it stands in the list On the CON
tiarv he could cite many instances of farms
that have sold and Others that could be sold
loi nor nan uouDle tle lls'ers 'alue'lpn
Legislature or in other word, the farms
stand in the list to-day at less than one-half
their market value.
estate docs mo, not constitute The whole If, Tho
grand list. and is there any equity in the
taxation OF personal property
IN "lnus2r county; NtIh ana al qlN luen1
bar yalue. while in Franklin county ali |
sdch stocks as well rs - money on hand and |
debts que are set IN the list at nifty per !
How '' i + +bat c,r e,,.i,,., n,,.r......I |
Chittenden, Franklin. etc, please rise and
explain. " EqrTr-'
In reply to ihes. questions. we can ,ay
that If the farms in Windsor county can
generally be bought at fifty per cent. above
the listers valuation Windsor couptv i
an exception to the rest of the State ont
side of Chittenden and franklin counties.
We do not know enough of the value of pro-
perry in Windsor county to give an opinion
conviction, formed upon investigation of the
subject as a member of the select committee
Of the senate on the grand list in $50. and
considerable attention to it since. that in
general throughout the State outside Of
these two counties, real estate is in the list
al les than Gfiy per cent. Of its actual value.
We understand there are farms for sale in
this county at the listers valuation without
44y addition thereto And We assure
Equity that there are plenty of farmers
an this county who would lump at the
chance of exchanging their farms. at their
present valuation, for farms in almost
any other county, at their valuation, acre
for acre and would agree to give handsome
boot IN each case. We believe the existing
valuation in Franklin county to be excessive;
but Franklin county i able to speak for
herself
~, As for bank stocks and money on hand.
1t Is part Of the abomination of the present
unequal system of valuation, that no nni-
form rule is established Under existing
practices. such items may 70 into the list
at one rate in one town and at another rate
in another town. in the same county We
cannot undertake to speak for every town in
this county. bat in this city. where all the
banks in this countv are Located and E,
which most of the bank stock i held sncb
stocks and money ON hand On into tho M,
at full mar. Moreover the st,tis.ics or Tho
census of 1870 show tbatwbile in tho S+o+o
at large bnt % nsr cent Of tho norsonol
propertv poes int, the list in Cbi+.anlor
county 81 Der cent is set in the Iistr Uow
is that. zoe may ask for eou;tve !
The Cale9oaiaa in an article h,..j on
the erroneous imnutations If 4" Eft. >,