Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-20
The State Valuation.


attempting to belittle the prosperity OF
the State and the States progress and
growth under successive Republican
administrations frequently made the
claim that the State assessors had
dumped up" the State valuation.
That is. that the assessors, for cam
paign purposes, had made the state
appear weather. and more prosperous
than it is. This matter was thorough
" thrashed over in the 1904 campaign.
when the absurdity Of the Sentiners
charge was amply demonstrated, but
| trusting in the forgetfulness Of the
nublic-a forgetfulness which the
Democracy always counts heavily on in
building up any hopes Of SUGGESTIVE
| Democratic organ trots out the old as
sumption. The Press patiently goes
over the matter again and shows that
the Democratic logic in this case, as in
most other cases. proceeds from
wrong premise.
IT is well known, as the Press points
ont. that the State board of tax as
SCISSORS. made up of two Republicans
and one Democrat. is required by law
tn act as board of equalization and
make biennial valuations of all the
nroperty in the State. 1t is well
known also that the valuation OF cities
towns and plantations as made by this
board considerably exceeds the sum
total of the local valuations. Thus IN
1904. the year of the last biennial. the
amount of the local valuations YVES III
round numbers 1923 100000. while the
state valuation was 1886, 900. 900. Where
upon the Democrats took up the cry
that the latter was excessive ana was
done to keep down the rate and make
the burden seem lighter than it really
was. unmindful that thereby they were
, reaecting on the integrity of one OIL
their own party men. the chairman OIL
the board.
The fact is that the State biennla
valuations have always been IN eA
cess of the total of the local va'ua'
tions. for reasons which have peer
plainly set forth in the reports a
long ago as 1892 the State board sait
that. comparing the returns OF the
town assessors with the figures of the
limited States census, it appeared tina
/. not one-half of the property In w
State was exposed for taXtlon.
= we cannot get all the property in tn
. State into exposure for taxation, sai'
the board, elf a part must carry III
=. burden for the whole, if it is goo'
!. policy to exempt any properly iron
taxation. then let us get a fair an
) uniform value upon such as can
, EXPOSED, AMI determine fairly VIVA
~ shall be exempted" Acting on tn
l. principle of getting fair and uniform
% value, the board that year assessed tn
n estates at 1926 900 900, while the loca
. assessors returned only s265,oOO, 90
ia and SIS .OO0, 5000 more on livestock. L
II its report for 1900 the board said
-e The board has examined minutely tn
valuations of the local assessors an
has increased them in many cases b
= bringing all classes of property to
4 full market value as required by law
ar and including in the valuation all ex
M empted property. 1t ap
pears from the returns that the amour
Nv ic
D. board adds all exempted property t
IS the valuation of cities and towns. an
n state and county taxes are assessed Q
this increase. 1t is evider
u that a large amount Of personal pfoI
nj erty escapes taxation. TIL
Of local assessors, apparently. do not e.
~ full and accurate information as
- pulp and paper mills. cotton and woole
mills and other corporations, and
is many cases do not assess these proper
a ties at full market value.
of That Is all there is to it. The ia
commissioners are required to equali7
u, the taxation every two years as neS
:. as NAV be. acting on their be-
10 Judgment and information. and the
do their duty as well as they can.
), was considered that there was need
such equalization. otherwise the la
would not have been made In the fr
Mace. and for the assessment or Il
state tax we should have had to col
tinue to rely on the varying returns
the local assessors. The State boa
has acted according to the constitute
Of the state, which provides that "A
taxes upon real and personal esta'
assessed by authority of the Stat
id shall be apportioned and assess
ng equally. according to the just van
he thereof" But the Democrats WI
IL thrive upon calamity. do not like
us have it appear that the State is pro
OF pering and increasing IN "eait
an Shouting "Be honest" as campais
he slogan. they will follow Democrat
n traditions and be as dishonest
of possible on all occasions.
es The Democrats Of Auburn al