The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-06


 I incumbent with experience.
 | In another part of my message, I have suggested that the office of
 School Fund Commissioner be done l away with, thereby putting the f1nan- ces under a single head. If this is done in any event the Treasurer l should be elected for longer term. . >..- TAXATION.
 Our general system of taxation is one | of the best; comprehensive in it's scope,
 equitable in its incidence, and prac-
 tical in it's application. The statutory
 provisions relative to local taxation,
 however, should be enforced equally in the different towns. The assessment | of property on a basis of full value, as required, is reason able, business like, and for the best interests of the communities. Legislation looking to- ward the enforcement of statutory provisions in this respect would be definitely beneficial to all towns not l now on that basis. Further slight amendments are needed to raise the standard of assessed valuation by in suring competent and experienced as- sessors for a term of years with a possible change in the date of assess ment so that the work may be done at | the best time.
 | The statutes relative to the poll and military taxes should be so amended | that the assessment and collection may l be properly carried out on the same | basis all over the State. All reports concerning the military communication taxes should be made to the Tax Com missioner as a part of the work of i that department, instead of to the Ad- Ijutant-General Instead of having the enrolment as of January 1st and the polls assessed as Of the previous Oc- tober 1st, the lists of both should be made out on some convenient date at the same time.
 Such minor changes should be made in the laws taxing public rvice cor porations as will make them more equitable in their application and more definite in their enforcement, as rec commended by the Tax Commissioner. 1 The revenue of the State can be in creased to considerable extent by slight changes in the succession tax laws which would not be burdensome to anyone. It is also a question I whether the State would not be justi- fled in adopting the. inheritance tax States, which is graded as to benefic- iaries, and progressive as to the amount of collateral bequests. With a progressive rate of from five to if teen per cent. an estate from $1, 900 to $1, GOO, 900 in amount. passing to strang- CTS of the blood, the tax receipts would be very largely increased by those en- tirely able to bear the burden, without injustice or hardship of any kind./ Other States are adopting such a law, and Connecticut will undoubtedly fol- low sooner or later. .-5
 The method of keeping public sac-. counts in many of the towns is exceed ingly careless and unbusinesslike. Thousands of dollars have undoubtedly been lost in different municipalities by such incompetency. I recommend a uniform system of municipal account ing adapted to the large and small towns and other municipalities. This plan should be prepared by the State: Board of Accountancy, and, be carried out under the yearly supervision of the State Auditors of Public Accounts.
 The large amount of waste or unpro-I ductive Hand throughout the State de- mands the careful consideration of the agricultural, forestry and taxation de- partments, with proper legislation If necessary. The raising of sheep, re- forestration of land. or any other prac- tical suggestion should be considered. Tn any event. the matter shou1d be consistently agitated until the proper methods are finally determined for making the best possible use of all un- used land in the State. so that the far
 
 taxes on so much unproductive prop erty.
 ASSESSMENT LISTS.
 There is more or less popular dis satisfaction in many of our towns with the inequalities in the assessment of real estate values. I believe that the complaints can be very largely remov- ed by the adoption of the practice of publishing annually the assessment list, in order that all property owners may be able to compare the valuation of their property with that of others in the community. This practice, it seems to me. would operate to bring about more just and uniform valua- tion, and there is little doubt that it would also tend to increase the grand list Of each community, at the same time removing many wrong impress slons relative to the work of the asses sors, and serve to promote justice and equality in taxation matters.
 PUBLIC UTILITIES ACT. NO more important matter will be presented for your consideration than the report of the special commission named by the last General Assembly to prepare a public utilities act The State, unable conveniently to furnish Public Utilities direct. has lent of it's powers to ever increasing classes of private agencies, that the people may benefit by the progress of invention and of utilization of natural resources In regarding the highly beneficial re- suits obtained and the splendid devel- opment of the corporate agencies en- ployed, we must not forget that it is the power of the whole community. acting through these agencies, which has produced such results and; that with the powers granted there is a cor responding obligation to render ade- quate service without discrimination and to require therefor a compensation which will be reasonable
 The problem of safeguarding the grant of extraordinary power has be- come immensely complex. To select an agency and, having selected it, to compel a strict observance of the terms of the trust. these are the essentials of the problem.
 The General Assembly meeting bien- nially cannot supervise public service corporations. The work is admins trative rather than legislative. The bill provides for a uniform system of incorporation; for control of caDitaliza tion; for definition of territory for operation; for regulation of right of eminent domain and the right to use the public highways; for the safe guarding of construction and opera tion; for examination of financial con-