Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-27
An EquaIIzIng Board.

However satisfactory may have been the
general results Of the act to equalize taxa
ton, il does not appear from the abstract OF
results furnished by the secretary Of state
that when its obvious defects are corrected
its equalizing provisions will be complete
without providing for state board OF equal
ization. A comparative examination OF the
valuation of the leading towns affords con-
vincing proof that those listers who, inten-
tionally or Internationally, have fallen be-
low the standard of valuation which they
swore to observe in appraising property,
have thrown upon those towns which con-
scientiously adhered to the strict letter and
spirit of the law an obvious inequality in
their share of state taxation. In the total
valuation of real and personal estate Mont
pelier ranks third, only Rutland and Bur
lington exceeding her, while the large and
populous towns of St. Adams, Bennington,
Brattleboro and st. Johnsbury, show a
smaller valuation. In population the town
is the tenth in the state, while in area there
are only three out of two hundred forty
towns in the state which have a smaller
Acknowledgements Baltimore and St.
George. st. Adams, with population
nearly two and one-third times larger and
an acreage more than five times larger, Ben
nington with double the population and
nearly six times the acreage, Brattleboro
and st. Johnsbury with nearly double the
population and five times the acreage, and
all having large and fourishing industries
and wealthy citizens, have a smaller valua-
ton than Montpelier. Rutland, with four
times the population and nearly seven times
the area, with immense and valuable indus
trial interests has a valuation only about
two and one-third times that of Montpelier.
Burlington, with similar excess in popula-
ton, with extensive manufacturing and
large and prosperous business interests, and
with 5,792 acres against Montpelier's 4,242,
and small industrial and manufacturing in
terests, has valuation of only triAe more
than double that of the latter town. Wash
ington county, the sixth in population and
the seventh in acreage, billy and mountainous
for the most part, is fourth in total valuation
Franklin and Windham exceed her in both
population and acreage as well as in the agri-
cultural value and desirability of lands, but
each has a smaller valuation. More ex-
tended comparisons would undoubtedly de-
velop additional evidence TO the fact that
while many towns, perhaps by far the greater
number, have conscientiously lived up to
the strict letter and spirit Of the law, others
have been recreant 10 their sworn duty and
have shirked portion of their burdens
upon their more honest neighbors. Wash
ington county, and Montpelier in particular,
will pay this year an unjust share of the
state tax. But fortunately the tax is small.
In the long run, the town and the county will
not be the losers by this injustice. Their
law-abiding spirit and disposition manfully
to bear their honest share of the public
burdens has been splendidly indicated
Another year an approximate equalization
of the gross inequalities to which we have
called attention will come with the quad
rennial appraisal and the operation of the
old state equalizing machinery.