Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-11-08
The Grand List Of Essex.

To the Editor of the Free Press and Times.
As recent DEVELOPMENTS regarding the
Grand List Ct the town OF Essex appear
to be attracting some attention, | will
venture briefly to state what l understand
to be the facts upon that subject Down
to 1872, in making the abstract required
by law, which was to be the basis Of State
taxation, the listers of this town have uni
formly been in the habit of emitting from
such abstract few polls and dogs, and also
small amount of personal property,-in
other words. the personal list of the
town was smaller in the abstract list,
by a few dollars, than it stood on the Grand
List book in the town clerks Office. And
believe this to have been the general
custom throughout the State. 1t was never
claimed, to my knowledge, down to that
time, that there was any authority Of law
for such action. But in most towns there
are more or less transient and poor persons,
whose lists are taken in the spring. but
who are not to be found, or are unable to
pay, when the State tax is issued the fol-
lowing winter. Consequently il the alb
strsct eQualled the town list, there would
almost invariably be deficiency of State
tax, which would have to be made up from
the town funds, and it was to guard against
such loss that this method was adopted by
the listers.
OF course, by this plan, there would gen.
orally be small surplus, after satisfying
the State warrant. to be paid into the town
treasury. and by sec 65 of chap "a, OF the
General Statutes this custom seems to be
IN
dawned npon the understanding of our
listers, and by and with the advice and help
of our town clefk-who by the way, is some
thing of a lawyer-they made the assonish-
ing discovery that il was their duty to fnd
the excess, ii any, of all the personal prop
erty listed in town. over the aggre-
gate amount of all the debts claim
ed, and allowed in offset, and enter
such excess of personal property in the
abstract" as the personal list OF
the town for State taxation, and acting
upon such advice, the listers intrusted the
matter to the town clerk, who was the dis
coverer. and directed him to carry out his
views and make an abstract in accordance
Herewith, which appears to have been
done. on that and the two following years
A. a necessary result the personal list of the
town for those years, so returned TO the
=
from she amount Of previous years. and OF
course the town treasury was 10 the same
proportion benefited by the operation, or
would have been benefited, had it not re-
quired an expensive lawsuit to compel the |
collector, or his bail , to pay over to the town |
treasurer the surplus OF State tax remaining
IN bis hands after satisfying the State war
rant.
Our town clerk has insisted all the tine |
tat the law was on his side, or, at least, |
that the language of the printed abstract |
list sustained his view, and he also says |
that our worthy Secretary of State gave his |
approval to this procedure But | am |
quite certain that the Secretary could not |
have comprehended the subject fully, or he |
worli never have given his sanction to |
such an absuidts For such a process,
it carried to It, full extent would |
wpe out every dollar Of personal property |
from State taxation, in nIne-tenths of the |
towns OF the State. Tho absurdity of the |
thing Is apparent upon its face. The town |
OF Essex is not now practicipg that kind of |
economy. But if, by any possibility, the |
law az it now stands is susceptible of such a |
would it not be well for the |
Legislature to amend il? A. b. Ii.
Essex Nov, l., 1878