Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-29
: STATE HOUSE.
The Waterville & Wiscasset Railroad
Co. Is Heard from.
The Coming Seasons Work Of the State As.
SCISSORS Other Gossip.

|
the tracks of the Maine Central Rail-
road at a point near the station. at
Winslow by an overhead crossing.
The commissioners have ordered Il
hearing upon the matter to be held at
the station in Winslow on the after
noon of Tuesday, April 5, at o'clock.
The State assessors through their
| secretary. James Plummer. have re-
Gently mailed to every city, town and
plantation in the State, a blank for
the local assessors to fill out which
gives the State assessors all the sta
| tistics regarding the different places
| of the State. 1t is compulsory for the
local boards to fill out these returns.
| The real work of the board has not
yet begun, as it is too early in the sea-
son for them to attempt to do anything
in the way of meeting the local assess
ors. This is the year when they per-
sonally visit the leading towns of each
county. holding assessors meetings,
before which the assessors Of each city
and town are summoned to appear
with their valuation books. In this
way they meet the representatives of
each town and become acquainted
with the cities and towns standing
and systems of valuation. The Sta.e
| L., no "a THAR VolJI1-
ton, this year. as this is done only
once in two years, and at that time on
the year previous to the assembling of
the Legislature. The last assessment
of the State was made in 1898. These
meetings of the State assessors with
the local boards is merely preliminary
to the making up of the valuation and
to gain for the State board the facts
regarding each towns methods of
assessment.
The local assessors go to work, Sat
urday, on their valuation. and the re-
turns will begin to arrive about a week
after and continue for months, as some
Of the boards, like some people. put
laeverything off until the last minute.
Entn these assessments are made, it
wS0ld be useless for the State board TO
meet the local boards, as none would
know what they were to do. AS soon.
| however, as the returns begin to come,
Secretary Plummer files them in order.
and they are compared with the previ
Gus returns. Should there be a marked
increase or decrease with the itemized
return, the State board can see by
comparison where the increase or de-
crease lies, and whether it is justified
or not.
At the meeting of the State board
with the local board the local board is
asked all sorts of questions which, like
the answers, are recorded for the flu
ture use of the State board.
For instance, if a local board has
made up it's valuation on a smaller
basis than the former board, having a
different policy to work on. the State
board wishes to know if the town is
justified in doing this, and thus de-
creasing the amount that the State tax
would be. Perhaps the local assessors
say that they have made up their
assessment on two-thirds' valuation.
The State assessors make note of this
and in making up their State valua-
: ton. they have the power to add what
ever they wish to. the town valuation,
! which, to their minds, seems equable.
1t is the duty of the State board to
see that the valuation of the cities and
towns is made up on an equable basis
throughout, wherever they can use
their influence. Every town has
different policy in conducting Its
! affairs Perhaps one town will nave i
: plan of assessing the real estate at full
value and the personal property at
only part. This makes the real es-
tate owner pay more than his proper
t tional share, and it is pointed out by
the State board. In their valuation
they raise the valuation of the persona
property to correspond.
t. At these meetings there are Away.
several boards of local assessors pres
: emit and they are as eager to learn as
1.-The State board. what their neighbor'
are doing, and are free to ask Iues
lions. The state board rather court:
. the asking of questions by the othe
local boards, as it often brings to ligh
MANY matters. These meetings are ;
great value to the local boards, es
, pecially where a member is retained OF
the board by his city or town for {
term of years.
The state board can tell at glance
in the greater number of cases, wha
the policy of the town is in regard t.
making up its valuation. If the ia,
: rate, is exorbitant they at once decid
that it is the policy to make low
valuation, while on the other hand,
the rate is small, the valuation ha
$50 "a fn11 value This Ia I