Putnam patriot., 1908-11-13

Sntiield f9 i4 mills to $ Wagertown lea ie tfiillS io < Woodhridge T II mills to < Windsor As l9 mills to li Bethel 1 I'll mills 10 ls Mesiport N Is mills to < Oxford a5 - mills to iN
 The State. city eF town government requires certain amount ot money to meet necessary expenses for the anso- luie interests et the public NJ large, Almost every enc Is willing to pay fair tax, provided only that he can ee ss- surea that his neighbor is paying at the sane rate on the same basis of val uation. While the general statutes proyid the manner In which this may he done, the actual application and ex. ecution Of these laws rest upon the diff ferent communities themselves. X low lax rate, a grand list on the basis of 6 fair value, frequent revaluations which will eliminate inequalities, small amount of outstanding taxes and keep ing the expenses within the income Is an absolute indication ef practical business administration. The reverse, however, as is found In many towns, Is greatly to be deplored. X high tax rate, low grand list, fragrant ineq iali- ties, an increasing debt, and too many uncoilected taxes arc indications of in- efficient business methods, and are sn unneeessaty burden to the tax payers. cannot see why taxation is not | therefore the most important matter In any community. IL k the foundation on which every structure Is reared. All | Business Mems Associations in this State should make taxation a subject for their special consideration, They should have standing committee on
 the assessment and collection of taxes,
 whose duty it should he to report 10 the association every month relative to
 the work of the assesSors, the equality
 of valuations, the cooperation or Inter. ference by the Board of Relief with eff.
 csent work of assessors, and the efforts
 being made 10 bring tn uncollected
 taxes. Different methods of taxation
 should also de discussed, together with
 desirable changes in our present laws,
 with an occasional address by students
 of the subject. This Is bound to pro.
 duce better understanding of the
 statutory requirements, more efficient : work by the taxing officials, and desi-
 rable changes in our laws by the repre-
 sentatives In our Legislature. Such a policy on the part of the different Bus : mess Mems Associations would un- } doubtedly secure the hearty coopera- ton of the Tax Commissioners.
 , When Mir. Gofbin finished. he was asked if Putnam should take the ini- , tiatise in raising it's valuation, wheth [ CT or not 1t would increase the State | and county tax beyond that of othel 2 towns In the county. He replied thu h the tax was assessed on the State yalu n oiion, and 50. if Putnam put its vaIua i. lion up, ihe Board Of equalization ? would eorfespondingly increase tht valuation in other towns in The eoun. P ty.
 He was also asked how To value a business bieek, and replied that the best way was To take the opinion ei three intelligent, men.
 , Asked whether it was fair to tax
 manufacturers as much when they
 were losing money as when they were
 prosperous2 He pointed out that if
 the tax was assessed on the amount of
 business they did it would be an in-
 come and not n property tax. He then
 asked the questioner If he would reduce
 Inc taxes upon farm simply because
 the farmer didn't make moneyf The
 queslioner said he asked because, in
 this city, there were many who thought
 the manufacturers were not paying ail
 they should.
 Mir Corbin said that in Manchester
 and South Manchester, new assess
 ment was made, increasing the valua- ton. When the list of the residential
 property had been completed ii was taken to the office Of Cheney Bros. and shown to MT. Cheney. He looked over
 the list and asked: "Have you done this? Upon being told that they had. He invited them to come To the office
 and look over his books and examine
 the list of the property owned by the concern. They did so and made the
 valuation on the list they found there.
 Another manufacturer, hearing of It, made the assessors the same offer.
 The fact whether mill has made or lost money Is not the thing on which to base the tax.
 The resolution for debate was then
 read, e follows:
 RESOLVED, That it is for the benefit of the town and city to have full valu-
 alton and low tax ratess and that the proper method to reach such an end is 0 Satse all the property valuation . eevtain per cent by Board Of Asses COTS, and tAsa have it adjusted by . Board of Relief.
 Lawyer c. l.. Tossey In opening said thas Mr. Costtn had taken all wind out of his sails. The Commisst0nes he'd given one Of ths clearest sxposi- saons of the tax question we have ever heard. He has anticipated any assu- ment can make, and hts statement b whole argument in itself.
 All I would say, in addition to what Mr. Corbin has said, or rather in reiter- stion of it, is. that the matter i< one Of sentiment to \ large degree. A revaIu- ton and lower tax rate would be an in- ducement for concerns to locale here. They ask what the tax rate is here and are informed. They do not take the trouble to find oui whether property Is assessed for fall Of partial value. l might also argue as lawyer. We have statute, passed ia ls'D, which is prae- ticaliy ax nov as@essed. IL should be enforced. If it l. tad lsw Its enforce ment will eause its repeal. When your