Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-05-14
SUBJECT OF TAX REVISION.


Owners Are Taxed Higher Than the
Wealthy Ones, in Proportion.
Tax revision engaged the attention of
the members of the board of trade at
their meeting last evening. s. P. Will
liams discussed ways and means of ar
irving at just and equal taxation, and
| advocated the appointing of a COM
mittee which would contain a practical
mason, and good carpenter, when we
would set pretty near the true worth of
property. According to Mr. Williams,
the owners of property should not be
allowed to have any say in the Valua-
tions.
City Engineer Cairns and G. L. LiIley
had little debate as to the object of
tax revision and the manner in which
the money had been expended. Mr.
Cairns said tax revision was being con-
sidered to equalize the burden, to re-
duce the rate, and to procure a larger
income. Mr. Lilley thought it was for
the purpose of discovering untaxed
property. He criticised the manner IN
which money had been spent in recent
years, especially in work down near
Smith & Griggs' factory and the Liberty
street extension.
Mr. Guilfoile defended the project of
extending Liberty street, said it was a
necessity, and tried to convince Mr.
Lilley without avail.
sc. G. Lewis said: 81 am almost
ashamed to confess that I know very
little about the way money is spent on
improvements, because have been dis
gusted in the past, and lost interest. l
know, however, that my taxes continue
to go up. The equable levying of taxes
has al ways been a difficult task. Men
keep coming in every year and trying to
get their taxes lowered. really think
that the poorer property holders are
taxed higher in proportion than the
wealthy ones. Wealth is a power and
rather think it is used in keeping taxa
ton at low rate"
Mr. Lilley did not like the idea of the
city presenting the Bronson library cor
poration with property on which the
city had spent 81, 600, and said SO with
emphasis.
Thomas Kelly wanted to have the tax
revision committee give some reasons
for the valuations which they made and
explain the system under which they
worked.
Mr. Sawyer thought it would be a
good idea to invite the tax revision COM
mittee to attend meeting of the board
of trade.
Mr. Lilley thought that if committee
from the board of trade with the ap-
praisers would go over the appraisals
given, that several mistakes would be
discovered.
Mr. Guilfoile, however, commended that
the only way out of the difficulty was to
have the charter amended SO that as
SCISSORS could be elected for number of
years.
Mr. Cairns did not approve of the idea
of a committee from the board of trade
comforting with the tax revision COM
mittee and thought it would be more to
the point if some legal reapportionment
could be made.
Mr. Williams wished the newspapers
would spread broadcast through the
city the idea that the board of trade
earnestly desires to bring about a just
valuation of property, and will CO oper-
ate with any one who wishes with them
to arrive at such beneficial conclusion.
Thomas Kelly then made the follow
ing motion:
"That the chairman appoint a COM
mittee of three to consult with the
mayor, common council, assessors, SUI
pervisors or appraisers of the tax re-
vision committee in relation to the
question of taxation and 70 the best
method of arriving at correct solution
of the matter"
The motion was carried and Chairman
Epson appointed s. p. Williams, F. B.
Rice and Thomas Kelly. This commit
tee are to report at an adjourned meet
| ing of the board to be held next Friday
night.