Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-03-13
uNOolLEorEO LAKES.

Edit0r Of the Register: The readers of
this paper, although they have been The
recipients of several bauquets from au
expert caterer, can, perhaps, get a clear
er idea of the exact situation by looking
over these statistics. The town tax on
list of 1870 was collected by your former
collector.
Total amount OF town tax raised in
- OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $3.50 -
Total amount OF ncollected taxes by
auditors report .... ..-..... no 90
l'ncO lpcfpd taxes, II per cent of entire tax
raised.
In making up the reports the auditors
never. until within the last few years,
put in the report as uncOlrcted taxes the
State tax, State school tax. State high
way tax and county tax, as these taxes
are not due until the lst of June follow
ing the year in which the tax Is raised.
So II is necessary. in order to compare
the relative amount Of uueOllccted taxes
today with the amount of LncOllected
taxes % years ago, to subtract the total
of the State, State school. State highway
and county taxes from the amount of uu-
collected taxes submitted to YOU by the
auditors.
state tax ........ ......................sA sA71 81
state school taN.. ..................... Nl %
highway taX........ ........... 9& ~
County ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 200 90
si6o3 81
Uncolected taxes by auditors re
port...... ';'.....,. ':'...'''..''''. seit2 s "
Total amount OF uncollected taxes as
report would show il made on
same basis as report 20 years ago. .$ls3S S.
Total amonnt OF town tax raised in
80 ..... ............% %...........S | 30 53
Total amount OF uncollrctcd taxes l,S}S -
Uncollected taxes, Is per cent OF en-
tire tax raised.
From these statistics one can readily
see that the taxes are collected up closer
today by 81 per cent than they were 20
years ago when your former collector
collected the taxes.
There has never been time in the
history of this town when every dollar
of unpaid taxes could not be collected
and placed in the hands of the treasurer
80 days from the day they are due, but
it has always been the policy of this
town not to oppress its taxpayers. but
rather to aid them in paying their taxes
by allowing them to pay in small install
ments of $50 TO 81 at a time.
Supposng "A man to live three miles
from the village and have tax of $40,
what happens to this man, under the
system which the town has recently
adopted, if he is unable 20 pay his tax 80
days from the day it is due: He has to
pay the following items in addition t"
his tax, and if 1t becomes necessary to
sell his property, he has to pay addi-
tiOnal officers fees. which are the same
as those allowed in the distraint of prop
erty.
For warrant to trcasurer... .............. : .05
" traNtl 10 Oiilcer., er.,....................... 30
" commission tV officer. ................. .SO
" warrant to Ofhcer................. ..... 80
lotul .'.''.'''.. = ~
From this it follows that he has to pay
! Ia per cent more on the grand list than
anyone else just because he has been un-
fortunate and can't pay his tax when it
comes due.
1t seems as though at this time, when
/ it is Impossible for most any man to get
a days work or sell dollars worth of
! produce, that the poor man has to pay
enough officers fees without the town
taking the position of heartless credi-
/ tor and forcing its collections.
NJ. A. MUNROE.
Middlebury, March II, 1896.