Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-22
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II AIDE by town officers that under our ex-
st ng system of collection of taxes there
seemed to be too many things required by
the towns to be done by the officers who
make these collections Undoubtedly
many Of these objections are not well
founded, but there are some things which
might be rcmedied, and changed in the
dirccti III Of simplicity and certainty.
! arlier in this session an order was pre-
sented by the senator from Hancock, Mr..
Simpst n, ins5ructing the Judiciary com
rni.tce 10 inquire whether something could
not be done TO make our present laws
more clear and the sales of land for non
payment Of taxes more certain. -Four
years ago the committee reported a bill
having somewhat the same provisions as
this bill now under consideration, but it
was reported during the very last hours OF
the session, too late to secure passage.
When the ordtr was introduced by the
senator from Hancock, gave the matter
some attention.
Under existing laws there are two
methods of sales of real estate for non
payment of taxes in Incorporated places,
one applying to the real estate of resident,
and another to the real estate of non-resl-
dent owners. These two systems are in
congruous with each other. Now, every
additional requirement, every additional
feature which the law adds to matters OF
this kind makes more chances of error,
and moro liability to mistake, and tends
to defeat the purpose of the law. l sup
pose that we will all agree that the pur-
pose of these statutes is to aid in the en-
forcement of the law in relation to the
collection of taxes. Every man ought To
pay his taxes, and the process for enforc-
ing the payment ought to be as simple as
it can be made.
| have referred to the two systems OF
making these sales l have asked good
many men why it is that we have had two
systems, why the collector should not sell
the real estate of nonresident owners as
we'll rs that of resident owners but have
so far been unable to get any very salts
factory answer.
In order to carry out the idea of sim
plifying the law, in the first place, l have
gathered together the provisions of the
law with regard to notice which are en-
bodied in the present law, and incorpo-
rapted them in one section, and on page
-
guage in regard to the notice on real
estate of resident owners is exactly word
for word the language of the present law.
Now, commencing with line 2S, on the
second page of this bill, | have incor-
porated the law precisely as it stands to-
day with regard to sales of land of non
resident owners there is no change in the
manner of notice whatever, except that
l. II Ln ,,Nt: nd
of the treasurer From this bill so far the
Senate will see that l have incorporated
the provisions of the present law with re-
gard to notice exactly word for word with
the exception the the collector gives the
notice himself in both cases, instead OF
the treasurer doing so in the case of land
of non resident owners, as in the present
law.
When got as far rs that in framing
this bill, q man of great experience sug-
gested to me that instead of leaving 1t
at the will of the collector to sell the land
when and where he pleased, we might
follow the example of some of the Western
states and fix time and place by law
where these lands shall he sold so that
any man who owns, any real estate and
who has not paid his taxes, knows that al
"A certain time and place the collector will
sell his real estate If his taxes are not
paid IL will be well defined time in
municipal affairs. The suggestion seemed
to me to bc q wise one, and in this Dill |
Il xed the time as the first Monday in
December at . o clock in the forenoon,
and the piact as the place where the last
preceding town meeting was held; so
that by fixing a definite day and hour and