Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-08
sTATE TAX COMMISSIONER.
The Bill Which Appoints New and
 Useful State OfficiaI.

The following Is the bill concerning taxation, which also provides for the appointment of tax commissioners. which was passed in the senate yester- day in concurrence, and now goes to the governor for his signatures; Section l. The governor shall, on or before the first day of June, 1901, and quadrennially thereafter, nominate,
 and, with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint tax commits lsioner, who shall hold office for four years from the first day of July in the year in which he is appointed, unless sooner removed by the governor for cause; and the governor shall fill any vacancy occurring during said term for the unexpired portion thereof.
 Sec. 2. Said tax commissioners shall. before entering upon the duties of his office, take the oath by law provided for executive and judicial officers; and in the performance of his duties he shall have power to administer oaths to any person.
 Sec. 3. Said tax commissioner shall visit the towns in this state and in- quire into the manner in which the ttSStSS- ment of property taxable therein are executed by the assessors and boards of relief, and whether all persons and property taxable in such towns are, in fact, justly assessed and taxed, and whether all taxes which are due and collectable are, in fact, collected; and for the purpose of such inquiry he shall have power to summon any per- sons in such towns before him, and examine them under oath, and to coIn- pei the attendance of any such witt nesses, and the production of books and papers. by suitable process. No
 such witness shall be excused from testifying or from producing books or papers on the ground that such testi-
 mony on the production of such book or papers will tend to incriminate him.
 but such evidence or production of
 books or papers shall not be used In
 my criminal proceedings against him.
 If any person disobeys such process,
 or. having appeared in obedience there
 to him by said commissioner, said
 commissioner may apply in writing to
 any judge of the superior court setting
 forth such disobedience to process or
 refusal to answer, and said judge shall
 thereupon cause such person to come
 before him and shall inquire into the
 facts set forth in such application, and
 may thereupon commit such person to jail until he shall comply with the pros
 visions of this section.
 Sec4. Said tax commissioners shall
 be member of the board of equaliza- ton. and shall annually report to said board the result of his official inquiries
 He shall also make niennial report
 to the general assembly, in which he
 shall mention any imperfections in the laws as to taxation, or in their execu-
 tion, which he may think proper to
 bring to the notice. of the general as- semb1y, and from time to time may suggest any further statutory pro- visions which he may deem desirable.
 Sec 5. Said tax commissioner shall receive salary of $3,O00 per annum. and also his travelling and incidental expenses necessarily incurred in the nerformance of his duties, his account for the same being first audited and allowed by the comptroller.
 Sec 6. The mode of summoning wit nesses before said tax commissioner shall be the same as is practiced by the justices of the peace in summon ing witnesses in the trial of civil actions, and all fees and mileage due witnesses, or for the service of sub- poena, or capias, issued by said com missioner, or by a judge of the superior court upon the application of said conn missioner, shall be paid by him and allowed him as part of his incidental expenses.