Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-19


Commission, Morrill, n. Drew of Port
LAND, William S. White of Rockland,
Milton L. Merrill Of st. Adams, George
Nj. Hanson of Calais and Frank c.
Decring of Saco, appointed under au-
tEori,y OF Chapter 16S of the Laws of
1907, TO Investigate the present system
OF assessing and collecting taxes in
the state of Maine, Friday submitted
tEcir report to Cove rnor William r.
Cobb Commissioners White and Mer-
rill submitted dissenting reports. The
report Cf the commission recommends
that: Al asStssEe nts be at the full
market value, that state assessors be
invested with greater powers. that the
state tax be appnrtion6d according to
land values. that public service cnrpor-
a,icns be taxed on an ad valorem basis,
that savings deposits in national banks
nios be taxed according to the value OF
their reserves. that automobiles be
taxed according to the size of the car,
that the tax on bank stock be made
uniform, that 4 direct and collateral
inho ritancc tax be lrVed, that uniform
ity be brought about in the taxation OF
stcf mbOatS. that Il mortgage recording
tax be levied. that poll taxes be made
uniform in al municipalities, that
pleasure boats be taxed wherever
found on April /, that foreign corpora
toneS l,av 4 lic"n&" fee, that q public
utilities commission be created, that
that state. county and municipal bonds
be exempted from taxation. ana Una [
81 ruliti-s Of such Maine corporations
as nav Il rnx based on their full value
be exempted.
'NVc believe the adoption of these
will result in such an
increased state revenue from indirect
taxation that tho Legislature can prii-
IDENTITY reduce bv one-half the amount
of direct state tag Should this be APP
porti.nca IN land values alone. the
state tax on cities and towns would De
r, duced from Sl.0O0,Ooo to $i5o.ooo.''
The report in part, is as follows:
First, We carefully prepared synopsi' ;
of all the laws relating to taxation thal
are at the present time in force in our
State. and n'ade an exhaustive study o.
their working and administrator. ana OF
published criticisms upon them: we m
vjted public, discussions, criticisms ~
neWSpapcrS published in all sections or
the state, also by personal notices nlailed
to the boards Of county commissioner >
and local assessors and to taxpayers gen
eraIv throughout the state. .,.,
We have also conducted Il volimino,l1
with the heads Of tn" dli :
fercnt state departments. Witn IoN,tIN ~,
local assessors and oiii1
cjals Of public service coipofati"hS' anu
with other taxpayers. ,,;,,
Rv referring TO the resolve itseil IL W., WI
he noticed that the commission WAS i''
clothed with any power to issue summons
cnmncl the production OF books and pa
pers. or to adranister oaths Al tii;,t
zee could do was to give the public an
to he heard. and we ieel tnae ,
ali toynayerS of Maine have fad ;tilpie
notice and opportunity to oHFr sucn g. fdI
icisus and sUgS, stions as theV hi'4''' ieF'
disposed. ,.
,,,,,st s have money with which % carry
on their several functions OF @"Ftl II ,.,,',,
The amount to be raised Is dlStit.r'',n, l,,
with the people oil their dtly ci'G,eo otP'1 ;otP
natives The people have no r,Ii. i,i
to complain of the amount raised, 10! w ,,,I
amount they themselves detnrmihcu' n"i
thev do have the right to demand. tn'i
on,o,,nt o,,eo to he raised bv taxation. wh.cn
in scmc form Is the sole source ni ,,, I'M
nue. it shall be raised 1us,m @ sni'i n,ni .cte Of
taxation shall he taxed IN tl'f S"'i' ''''"
ner and at the same rate.
Tho revenue might he rore easily on. on
tanned if all taxpayers Would n nom n,,r ~ ',
render IN tft' llSllif@ 'iii' -
nerfect list Of all their properly .F,e ."S ~ ~
pwith the correct amount OF income ,l
oeived from each class or properly iie'"
Nv +hem. Bat such can never oe ~, ,l,e 80, ,' a
A. :, r,,le taXpaynrs in times ol neac. q,
~ ~ aro,,sed by civic honesty and patlln''
;s,,, In times of war the cltiZ"n Is i",o
te', tn nffa,. m not only his property Dut il7
re ;f need be, that the GoVefn'ent NV NV
~. ~. mt the moment peace is "fcitlS5t' ~
~ no lus;ns h,nsnlf with schemes 10 eVsiot
his lust contribution 10 the nlu'ntu,,a , 1r,,a of
ubich he was willing to sactlnc~ ms an
hnn confronted ~ an armed roe ,;.
II is not necessarily Jas hhu eu.nt unt
,,u..' fiat III classes Of properly Sll',,. ~,
Hn toxed in the same manner IN" an ,t, t'',
tMo came rate of taxation. Ht'' we i'''ao ~
~ ohvious that the individual utn'S -.
any. Given class Of property sh"n'a pay
the same rate
80 state Board Of Assessors.
rnder the present laws the noaro oa,,a,,2f @'
c,,te asscssors is supposed !" cti ',nl,
,aIues between towns Hnn itP'ulr, W, 80
an,ali~ation to the Legisiatuft. W. ,h.
I'M ihcv rave failed III .,, o3.ani''hs sl,,,h,
dssired result although Withnu' ~, :,
80 have obtained more uniln.l'i,,E aSo. al
tie! ;ia,l before the board was cIeatIeu
mmnn;r failure to our mind - uue .,au
htu ahsence of efficient laWS l''..l :"
20 'u 'u,,,nosiiion of the board. me hi',ii, nSai T.
tIe " the hoard should oe ot'tet "a"
E pei .,tnthed with more authority.
-..sn ms aPuD