Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-11-02
NO "LAX|Ty' FOUND.
Aldermen ExOnerateS The
Assessors.
NO "HEARING" WAS HELD.
The Board Simply Listened to Attorney
W. W. Blodgett.

| them at the meeting last Saturday, con-
cerning the leaving out of this years tax
the assessment for betterments on East
avenue and other thoroug hfares.
His Honor Mayor Brown called the
meeting to order and all the mem bers were
present. Mayor Brown stated that he had
called the attention OF the members to the
matter for the purpose OF having II
aightened out II possible. Besides the
| emitting OF the assessment OF betterments
on streets there had been assessments
amounting to about s3l 900 for curbing
and go 900 OF assessment for sewers which
have been left out, making over $4,000
worth OF notes which the city was carry
Ing along which 1t ought not to carry
| along.
| Upon motion OF Alderman Davis the
| following order was adopted:
Ordered, sthat whenever report of
Commissioners appointed to lay out,
widen and straighten streets in this city
shall be confirmed by the Board OF Alder
men 1t shall be the duty Of the City Clerk
to Immediately send a copy Of said report
| to the Board of Assessors, so that the
same may be added to the next tax list.
He said that by the provisions OF this
order all assessments hereafter would be
reported To the Assessors OF Taxes, and
trouble which has been caused will not
be repeated.
| Attorney w. w. Blodgett, for the As
SCISSORS of Taxes, said his attention bad
b sen called to the terms OF the message OF
| His Honor Mayor Brown, in which he
spoke Of the evident "lsxity OF the As
SCISSORS" In not putting into the tax Of
| this year the assessment for betterments
on streets. In the message His Honor
quotes the law and gives his construction
OF 1t. The Assessors put upon the law
| different construction. "1h construc-
tion, which they put upon It," he said,
al believe to be the correct. The sect ion
To which reference Is made In the message
| does not require the Assessors to do the
work, but IL says that it shall be done.
The phrase In which the Assessors OF
Taxes are mentioned merely defines how
the betterment shall be collected. The
law Is defective as to how this Is to be
placed in the tax"
He then reviewed the law OF taxation,
and spoke In relation to the Betterment
law, the provisions Of which was the law
being considered. Under this law the
Town Council of the old town OF Paw
| tucket laid out Division street, and by
vote Of the Town Council a copy OF the
betterments was ordered furnished the
Assessors OF Taxes by the Clerk OF the
Council. 1t was not added TO the regular
tax but was put In as sort OF appendix.
"The Assessors," he said, "have con-
strued the law the same as did the old
Town Council. Since that time DO report
has ever been made to the Assessors and
they have had no means OF any kind to
know what the betterments were. Any
action, therefore, that they might take
looking TO the collection OF 1t would be
irregular and unsafe. The resolution
just passed Is very gratifying To me. Re-
gardiDg the lien which the city might
have on the property, / believe 1t would
hold good at any rate for the reason that
the law expressly states that It shall re.
main until pad. Whatever laxity there
has bee heretofore is not justly aitributa-
Die to the Assessors or to the clerk OF the
Board OF Aldermen. The clerk is not
bound to pass over to the Assessors any
matter OF the Kind without the expressed
vote Of the Board OF Aldermen. MY point
IL this, that II IL he duty OF the Board OF
Aldermen to see that these assessments
are pu; on the tax list, and 1t is only Just
from all blame In the matter. BY the
resolution just passed all difficulty In the
future will be avoided"
Mayor Brown--Do you think lien
issued by the City Clerk would hold
against an estatef
Mr.. Blodgett-Yes, sir, do.
ain regarding TO curbing taxes?"
"rbe Board Of Assessors has not Ing to
do with that.
Aid. Adams-Have any of the present
Assessors ever put any street betterments
into the tax,
| Mr.. Moroney-Never.
Assessor Walker.-I have been on the
Board OF Assessors for nine years, and no
notice has ever been received by me since
have occupied that position.
Aid. Davis moved that the Assessors be
| +,
and II was so voted, Aid. O'Reiily voting
In the negative.
Mr.. O'Reillv said that he would like to
ask the City Solicitor that knowing the
law as he claims TO why he did not inform
the board In regard to the proper way to
assess these taxes.
| Mr.. Barnefield did not answer.
Petition for an electric light at the
corner Of Pstt and Wbipple streets, which
had been removed, Was referred to the
| com mmittce on street lights
| Wet ria Barracks OF the Sons OF St
George was given permission to hold a
| dance without paying the usual fee.
| The following, introduced by Alderman
| Adams, wss adopted, and then the meet
| ing sdiourned.
Voted, rhst the city Clerk furnish to
| the Board OF Assessors ~ soon as prac-
| ticable a copy 81 all OF the Com nmlssioners'
| report OF streets which have been laid out
| under the Betterment act since he organ.
ization 81 he city, and that the Board OF
| Assessors be requested to assess all such
assessments In the next tar To be assessed.