The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-09-22

animous recommendation as to GER
tain administrative changes in the law
which we all believe will render II
much more difficult for the taxpayer
to evade or escape taxation. The mem
bers of the commission who join In
recommending the low uniform rate
Of taxation upon intangibles greatly
fear, however, that, IL these proposed
administrative reforms are enacted In
to law and the proposed uniform low
tax rate on intangibles is not adopted
the complaints as to the injustice Of
the law will soon be greater than they
now are and that capital will be driven
from the state to escape confiscation.
We believe this would result greatly
to the detriment OF the state.
Inequalities in Local Tax Rates.
Although perhaps it is not within
the province of this commission to
suggest a remedy, yet we deem II i'm
perative upon us to call to the atten-
ton of Your Excellency and OF the
Legislature the great differences III
the tax rates for local purposes that
exist between the towns in this state.
annexed to this report that shows
among other things the average tax
rate for the past five years and the
grand list and present indebtedness
of each town.
From this table it may be seen that
Belyidere has a grand list of $l406,
debt of $9079, an average tax rate
of So on each dollar Of the grand list,
including school tax of 20 cents and
highway tax of 80 cents, with 26
miles OF highway to support. Jamai-
ca has a grand list of $3l05, debt Of
S32 900, an average tax rate of 1924
on each dollar of the grand list, in
Guiding school tax of GO cents and
highway tax of 80 cents with Sc
miles of road to support; while West
Haven has a grand list Of $3639, no
debt. an average total tax of So cents
no school tax and 26 cents highway
tax. with 80 miles of highway; and
Proctor has a grand list Of SASH.
I a debt OF S4,16l., an average tax OF
| SO cents, which includes school tax
of SO cents and highway tax of Is
cents with II miles of highway, 10
miles being in the village limits.
Twelve towns have an average
total tax rate the lowest of which is
$3.50 and the highest 1924, an aver
age school tax from A cents TO SO
cents, and an average highway tax
from 20 cents TO rs cents, and all OF
these towns. are heavily indebted in
comparison with their grand list.
Ten towns have an average total
tax rate the lowest of which is 50
cents, and the highest $l.00, an
average highway tax from nothing
to 80 cents. OF course where there
is no school or highway tax 1t is all
included in the average town tax;
and three of these towns have no
debt, and all of them have a small In
debtedness compared with their
grand lists.
II is not a matter of surprise that
many of our small towns have poor
schools and wretched roads, for how
can these towns, burdened with debt
as they are and taxed almost beyond
endurance, appropriate more money
for such purposes?
BY examining the table before
are many o,aer towns in nearly as
bad a financial condition and 1t is APP
parent to us that this is a matter
which demands serious consideration
by the Legislature.
Towns, with a debt of from $40 to
$50 per capita and as high as $40
per dollar of grand list with an aver
age tax rate from $3.50 TO 1924, un'
able to materially reduce their debt
or properly maintain their schools
and roads, are obviously in condi-
ton that requires relief.
Ii is necessary TO the welfare of the
entire state that the children in
these towns be provided with good
schools. In most of these towns are
highways which accommodate the
general public such roads at least
should be kept in good condition. II
would seem that these two indispen.
sable objects cannot be obtained I'M
der present conditions.
/ We make no recommendation in
regard to this matter but urge the
Legislature TO give to 1t immediate
and careful consideration"
| ne uldIOIll9 VI Alt
has deliberately refrained from max
ing any recommendation or sug-
gestions of change in our present
system of taxation of railroad, eX'
press, telegraph and similar corpora
tons. An important consideration
which lin addition to lack of time to
make an exhaustive examination)
has led us to refrain from advising
any change in existing law on this
subject, is that II has recently re-
ceived the careful attention OF both
the executive and legislative depart
ments OF the state government. The
statutes relating thereto have been
carefully amended and some of the
rates of taxation substantially in
creased The present method seems
to be working we'll and the corpora
tons affected by it are entitled to a
reasonable degree of stability in the
laws under which they operate.
Constant tinkering with any law is
vicious.