The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-12-28

Taxation il Maine
Interesting Report of the state Assessors.
The ninth annual report of the board of
State assessors has been completed, and
is important from the fact that il takes
advanced ground on the question of taxa
ton, which is SO prominent in the State
at the present time. They say there has
been an increase in Maine the past year in
the aggregate of valuations of 50, 19l, 532,
of which 81, 1o7, 444 is the increase in real
estate valuations and S404, 0SS the in-
crease in personal property The entire
valuation is S2S1, 69l, 100; the real estate
constituting IS per cent. and the personal
y per cent. The increase in real estate
values came largely from new buildings
and improvements; valuations of real es-
tate otherwise have not changed much
The local assessors generally found it
very difficult to atfix values on farms, not
because the farms had deteriolated in
producing capacity, but because purchas-
ers are few and sales have to be made on
deprecated values. They also found it
difficult to attix values upon cotton,
wooden and other mills, as well as the
property of water and electric light com
panies, owing to the lack of accurate in
corporations. The report says:
III the annual statements of these cor
porations to their stockholders were also
furnished to the local assessors, they
would be able to estimate more correctly
the value of their property. Returns
similar to those made by the railroad cor
porations would give the desired informa-
ton TO the local assessors. The increase,
S404, OSS, in valuation of personal prop
erty, comes from the live stock, which
has increased in value to the amount of
S4S3, 40 This increase comes through a
larger amount of neat stock and higher
average value.'
Other kinds of personal property in the
aggregate have reduced valuation.
That their valuati would be very large
ly increased if the local assessors could
bring this property from its concealment,
there can be no doubt. The assessors find
all visible property and impose upon it
much larger taxes than is necessary if the
invisible property could be reached and
taxed
Money at interest is taxed to the amount
of only 80, 754, 475, while live stock is tax
ed at ST., 3l6, 049. This is not given in as
a rule voluntarily, and the assessors re-
frain from taking extreme measures in re-
gard to it. Many show a Discrimination to
search the records each year to ascertain
the amount of money loaned on mortgage.
Stocks and bonds are taxed to small ex-
tent apparently.
Electric light companies stock is taxed
at 1920, 545, water companies stock at
1924. 163, gas companies at S314 125, other
companies stock on SOIL, 707, while railroad
bonds are taxed to the amount only OF
Sl4, so, and all other bonds to the amount
of So, $50.
Nv hen we consider that the railroads
and the street railways of the State have
bonds outstanding to the amount of S3S,
600, 600, of which only 50, l46, CPS are held
by the savings banks, and add to them the
large amount of State, county and NUM-
cipal bonds together with those issued by
water companies and other corporations,
we must conclude that a very large
amount of property Of this kind escapes
all taxation," says the report.
THAT the local assessors under present
conditions will not reach them for pur-
poses Of taxation seems very evident.
This practical exemption of great
amount of personal property imposes an
unequal burden upon the farms and other
visible property.
and consequent complaint of injustice.
The State assessors are unable to equalize
these disproportionate valuations except
partially, and this equalization applies on
ly to towns and the State tax, which is
only seventh part of the local tax on til e
average. The unequal burdens of taxat ion
inhere mainly in the local taxes, and ev cry
town has the power to some extent to rec
tity the conditions, and hence is response
Bile. The State tax is not the burden.
The State tax rate is but 3 mills, while
the average local rate is .O2O2 per cent.
''Then it should be considered that a
large part of the State taxes comes back
to the towns in school money, so that very
many of the agricultural towns receive
nearly, if not quite. as much as they pay
in taxes to the State. That the present
conditions or practical exemption of GER
tain kinds of property should be changed
seems clear.
equal taxation can only be accom-
plished by adequate and just laws and the
fearless discharge of their duties by the
ASSESSORS
The report indicates healthy growth
of the State in property, and the returns
as to the number of polls indicate an in
crease in population of over 80, 900.
The statistics for Belfast and for Waldo
county are published on the Sd page.