The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-05-30
All Taxpayers
Ought to Study Up On This.

A new law on collecting taxes on
real estate was passed at the last leg
islature which is rather surprising to
those who learn of it for the first
time. Evidently the collection of
taxes on real estate is a difficult mat
ter in some towns or cities or the
provisions of the new law would not
have been enacted. Here are por-
tions of it:
Chapter 173, section 73-If any tax
assessed on real estate, or on equit-
able interests assessed under section
three of chapter nine, remains unpaid
on the first Monday of February next
after said tax was assessed, the col
lector shall sell at public auction SO
much of such real estate or interest
as is necessary for the payment of
said tax, interest and all the charges,
at 8 O'Clock in the forenoon of said
first Monday in February, at the Of
fee of collector of taxes in cities, and
at the place where the last preceding
annual town meeting was held in
towns. In the case of the real estate
of resident owners, the collector may
give notice thereof and of his inten-
ton to sell SO much of said real estate
or interest as is necessary for the
payment of said tax and all charges,
by posting notices thereof in the same
manner and at the same places that
warrants for town meetings are there
in required to be posted, six weeks
before such first Monday in February
do hn nf 10
known, the right, lot and range, the
number of acres, as nearly as may be,
the amount of tax due, and such other
short description as is necessary to
render its Identification certain and
plain. And in the case of taxes as
sessed on the real estate of non resi-
dent owners, he shall cause said no.
tices to be published in some news
paper, if any, published in the county
where said real estate lies, three
weeks successfully; such publication
to begin at least six weeks before
said first Monday in February.
This means that any man holding
real estate must pay his tax on it by
the middle of the December next fol-
lowing the April assessment or run
the risk of having it advertised
Since the sale of real estate for taxes
must take place on the first Monday
in February and notice of such sale
must be made six weeks previously
we shall have TO plan to pay our taxes
before December 10. This is no real
hardship to the taxpayer in the long
run, for it is as well to pay taxes at
one time as another, and with the
habit once formed of getting that
thing done by December Is each
year, it will be easy. But it comes q
little hard at first on the collector in
getting us broken in. If the tax
isn't paid by the middle of December
he must either advertise the real
estate for sale or waive all right to dc
so thereafter. He must take the risk
of doing it or never. Another new
tax law also makes interesting read
ing:
Chapter 168-An act for the better
collection of taxes.
That on and after January first,
nineteen hundred and eight, all mu-
nicipal officers of cities and towns in
making out their yearly report shall
cause 10 be printed in said report the
names and amounts of all delinquent
tax PAYERS which have been commit
ted to the treasurer or collector fol
collection. The failure for non-per-
Torrance of this duty shall be not less
than five dollars nor more than TWEEN
ty-fye dollars.