Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-02-27
HOW TT EQUALIZES.

HOW TT EQUALIzES.
1t was not expected that the act to
equalize taxation would diminish the |
amount of money required to be rails
ed for the various purposes for which
tax on the grand list is levied. Its
object was to draw into the list prop
erty which had been wrongfully with
held. The burdens of taxation, to |
that extent, would be shifted from |
the shoulders of taxpayers whose en-
tire taxable property was listed upon
those who had before escaped. To
ascertain how this theory of equaliza-
ton has worked in practice we have
examined in detail the lists of sever
al towns reported to the Waterman
last spring. AS the town of Marsh
field is a fair representative of large
class of towns in the state, an exam
nation of its list will show what
should be fair average of the work
ings of the new act. In that town
the total of taxation for 1881 was 50
on the new grand list, this high rate
being required by the payment of a
portion of the towns railroad debt.
The list of the town for 1880 was
about $2,975; in 1881, $1,000, ex-
elusive of railway list. Had the list
of 1881 remained substantially as it
was in 1880, as it would have remain
ed had the old law continued in force
tax of $3.50 on the list would have
been demanded to raise the money
required from the town in 1881.
But on the new list tax of 50 raised
the money. AS the same aggregate
amount of money was to be raised,
some taxpayers mnst have paid more
and others less than they would have
paid under the old law. Whatever
some taxpayers saved by the change
in the list, other taxpayers paid by
the enlargement of their lists. In
this shifting about of the burdens a
reasonable approach was made to-
wards equalization of taxation. In
the town in question it appears that
out of four hundred forty-four tax
payers three hundred saved in taxes,
by the operation of the new law, ST.
AS; and siXty-siX, together with
seventy-eight others not listed before
paid a correspondingly larger amount
of taxes that is, three hundred per-
sons were justly relieved of 2,415 in
taxes and one hundred forty-foul
! persons with equal justice paid this
J amount,-a sum hitherto shirkeC
l upon poll taxpayers and owners OF
: real estate. In making comparisons
between 1880 and 1881 the fact must
5 be kept in mind by the taX-payel
< | that the town raised much larger
r sum of money the latter year thar
D the former. Under the list or 1888
t the tax on each poll was 81. IL
r have raised nearly $13, 800 required
i by the town in 1881 on the list O
e 1881 the tax on each poll would hav
t been SO. Eighty taxpayers listeC
!, for poll only have each saved a S,
d bill in the process of equalization
e 1t is true there is large tax assesse,
against one individual concerning tn
e collection of which a legal question
e has been raised But throwing on
y this tax entirely, the showing of th
/ favorable working of the law is affect
Il ed only in a slight degree and not 8
h all in kind. The taxpayer listed fo
'e a poll only will still have saved $4.2
lie instead of So by the operation of til
n new law. and other poll and sma
r property taxpayers will have save
re in the same ratio. Other details {
Us similar character might be givel
lie but these are sufficient and they nee
Dr. no elucidation. The operation {
the law in Marshfield is an index
it's operation in the towns of all tt
counties in the state. Taxation hi
been measurably equalized by tt
u new law, and the voters, the gre
u body of whom are benefited by tt
le law and to none of whom it is unjus
> should see to it that wise and faitl
G full men are chosen for listers in Il
IT, approaching town meetings. In maj
III important respects the present We
e. will more critically and decisive
u test the law than the past has don
10 and the best men, true friends of t
u law, should be elected to execute it
IL = Wdtc7sDda.
nd
ia A 500 BIBLICAL PRZE.-The publishe
of RuZedge's Monthly in the prize puz1
l.os, NJ