Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-24


they never have been authorized to do
| before, ard that is to go to each local
| ity, examine the local assessments and
re-arrange the matter in detail, when
| ever they deem it necessary to do so,
| and an appeal from their decision ly-
ing to the courts, of course, Just as
it does now from the board of local as
SCISSORS. l am not in favor of raising
salaries as general proposition, but
when we say to the Board of State AS
| SCISSORS that they must do somewhere
| near three times the work that they
| We're elected to do, when we enlarge
| their duties SO enormously as has been
suggested by the bills which have been
! introduced into this Legislature by
| saying that they must make assess
ments Of all the steam and electric
property in the State. l think there is
good cause for giving them at least
two thousand dollars a year, and I
hope the amendment will not prevail.
Air. REDLON: Mr.. Speaker, this
amendment is in line with the recon-
mendations OF the Governor as pre-
scented to this House through his let
ter to the gentleman from Augusta
tMr BurleiSh). The gentleman from
Waterville has stated that this requires
the constant attendance of the Stae
assessors every day upon their duties
in connection with the Board of State
ASSESSORS, which is true. But | wish to
read The Act under which they have
been working and see if there is any
difference between that and the one
under which they are working today.
Section 10 of the law in regard to their
duties SAYS: THE Board of State AS
SCISSORS shall be held to a constant at
tendance upon the duties of their Of
fee That, to my mind, means what
it says, that the Board of State AS
SCISSORS shall be constant in their du
ties, which means attending to them
every day, instead of giving about six
months of their time as they have been
doing in the past. Another part Of their
duties is stated in Section IA, which is
as follows: 'The Board of state Asses
ScrS shall investigate and examine into
the system and method of taxation of
other states, and also make careful
and constant inquiry into the practical
operation and effect of the laws of
| this State, in comparison with the
laws of other states, with the view of
aScertaining wherein the tax laws or
| this state are defective, inefficient, in
| operative or inequitable. They shall
| birnnially incorporate the result OF
| their investigation and inquiry in their
report made prior to each legislative
session. and recommend therein such
notifications, changes and additions
! in the tax laws of this State as may
seem advisable or necessary to secure
more Just and equitable system of
| taX1tion.''
| Now. Mr.. Speaker, 7 have been unable
| to find in any, of the reports of the
| State assessors that / have read any
| thing that would comply with that 1t
| has been suggested that perhaps part
| of the duties of the tax commission.
| which cost the State something like
| So. 900, might well have been done I'M
| der this law by the board of State as
| SCISSORS. The sum of $500 does not
| represent all they get. 1t is $500 and
| expenses, and the matter of expenses
| means coming to and going from the Of
| flee of the board here at Augusta; so
| that / claim that $500 and expenses
| hires q pretty good man. These are
| the gentlemen also who, when PROPOSE
ton was put in approprating $1,000
| year for the purpose of cruising the
| wild lands of the State with an idea of
Il geetting at approximately their value.
II stated before the committee they did not
II think they could spend $4,000 in year.
II $4,000 would have been about 100 days
II work for eight men. I am satified and
II believe, and l hope the House will
II agree with me- that $500 and expenses
II is enough to pay the State board of as
H SCISSORS; and I hope the amendment will
H prevail.
Il The question being on the adoption
II of the amendment
II The amendment was adopted
H The bill was then passed to be en-
II crossed as amended
II Mr. ROBBINS of Fort Kent: Mr.
II Speaker. | have been requested to ask
II the permission of the House to take up
House Document No G12. out of its
II regular order on the calender assigned
70 rtoday, and l would like to take it up
at this time. I move that the House
II now proceed to the consideration of
House Document No. G12. An Act re-
lating to portable or movable sawmills
in cities and incorporated towns.
II The motion was agreed to-
Mr.. ROBBINS: No. Mr.. Speaker, af-
ter tabling this matter the other day
want to say to the members of the
House that the first question asked me
was, at whose solicitation / had tabled
this bill. ] say to the members Of the
House now that I did not table it at the
solicitation Of anybody. After reading
the bill and hearing the argument made
the other day in favor of the bill I
thought that 7 saw in this bill q mat
ter of gross injustice being done to a
certain legitimate business in the State.
! and a matter that will in some way eff
feet certain persons in my district and
thought it my duty to have the mat
or laid upon the table. ana T want to
take up with You few facts in re-
lation to the bill at this time
The bill asks that i'm incorporated
towns and cities that whoever operates
portable mills must first apply to the
municipal officers Of the town or city
for a license so to do. and must also
give n bond. so that should a fire start
from this mill or any damage from it
be done that the bond will be holden
for that damage. provided Of course
that the owner of the mill is not worth