St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-02-11
The New Tax Law.
From St. Adams Messenger

The New Tax Law.
From ST. Adams Messenger
The list of questions prepared by the
secretary of state, and which are given
below, affords comprehensive state
ment of what the new law requires
from taxpayers, but there are other
things i'll that connection that may be
properly referred to.
In the first place, the act is intended
as supplemental to the existing laws on
the subject of listing and taxing prop
erty, and repeats only so much of the
old statutes as are Inconsistent with the
new act. The definitions of the old
law as to what constitutes real estate
and personal property do not seem to
be changed by the new act. The old
law defines mans real estate to be
his land (within this state), the build
ings thereon, the trees upon it, and the
minerals on and under its surface and
his personal property to he his goods,
money. chattels, effects, and debts due
from solvent debtors over and above
the debts due and owing from the per-
son listed. The new act provides that
all taxable property shall be set in the
list at one per cent. of its value in
money. Listers must appraise real es
tate at its cash value-what it would
be likely to sell for at private sale
and not ut what it would sell for at auc-
ton or a forced sale.
Section , of the act requires the sec
retary of state to furnish blank inventO-
ries to each town, in number sufficient
to supply all Taxpayers. The law re-
quires that every taxpayer shall pro
vide himself with a blank, which will
be furnished at the annual town meet
ing in March, or may be had on appli-
cation to the town clerk or listers.
The taxpayer must give in this blank
full statement of all of his Tor herr
taxable property, real and personal.
The blank prepared for this purpose by
the secretary of state, contains twenty
one questions, as fOllows:-
The first question will be as to poll
tax No. ., as to real estate, and the
value must be carried out by the own
er in the column prepared, as is required
of all the questions No. 3, will require
the number of horses, asses and mules
No. 4, oxen, cows and other neat stock ;
No. 5, sheep and swine, all under four
months old, need to be counted No. 6,
will require the number and owners
name of horses, asses, mules, oxen,
cows, sheep, swine and other stock in
possession No. Z, will inquire for
swarms of bees, pleasure wagons, gold
watches, pianos, sleighs, carriages, sill
yer watches, the number and value not
exempt by law. No. 8, average value
of stock in trade, year ending April |,
1881; No. 9, what amount of other
goods, chattels, effects and moneys be-
sides those included in questions 3 to 8,
inclusive; No. 10 will inquire what
amounts of debt due of insOlvent debt
ors on account, note or bond, contract
mortgage or other security, whether
then due or due thereafter, was owned
on the first day of April, 1881 No. IL,
what amount of moneys loaned or debts
secured on real or personal estate where
by the contract such estate is to be re-
conveyed on the payment of the sum
loaned or any part thereof, with or
without interest, was owned on the first
day of April, 1881; No. u will inquire
for a perpetual or redeemable lease and
amount of rent No. 10, what stock in
public funds, including all state, coun
ty, city, town, village OF school district
stocks of this or any other state, etc.
No. IA, will inquire for stock in banks,
trust companies and other corporations
located out of state and companies and
other corporations in this stste, except
what is exempt in manufacturing and
railroad corporations; No. Is, will in
quire for stock in corporations located
out of the state, etc. No l6, for surplus
capital of banking institutions Ne. II,
for trust funds as executor, administra-
tor, guardian or trustee; No. Is, for
stocks, bonds or other securities, ex-
empt by state or United States; No. 10,
"what amount of stocks, bonds or of
money invested in manufacturing,
claimed to be exempt from taxation
under laws of this state, was owned OF
held by you, etc. :" No. 20, "what
amount of personal estate owned by
debts owing 2" No. 81, "What is the
name and residence of creditor 2"
One page of the blank will contain
the oath to be signed by the taxpayer,
and the listers must also sign the blank.
If the taxpayer Omits or neglects to
make such inventory or to subscribe to
said oath, the listers shall appraise the
same at its value in money, and shall
double the sum so obtained. If per-
SOB liable to taxation in any town shall
reside out of such town, the listers
shall forward blank to such person.
The listers must arrange in alphabet
ical order the personal lists of all tax
payers, and file them in the town
clerks Office on or before the 25th of
April, for the inspection of taxpayers.
While there is some difference in
views concerning the scope of certain
provisions of the new law, the questions
prepared by the secretary of state are
sufficiently plain not to be misunder-
stood; the taxpayer has no alternative
but to answer the interrogateries or to
suffer the penalties provided for refusal