The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-20
THE CHOICE OF LISTERS.

One of the most important of the
duties that come bef0Ye our annual
town and city meetings Ia the cleo
ton of listers. AT the last session
of the Legislature an act was passed
providing that beginning with the
spring elections OF 1909, listers should
be chosen for terms of one, two and
three years, respectively, and thereaf-
ter they should be chosen for terms
of three years each.
Upon taking office the lister sub
scrfbes to the following oath: Il DO !
solemnly swear Tor affirm that | viii
appraise all the personal and real
property subject to taxation in the
town Tor city, of ---------, so far as
required by law, at its true value in
money, and will set the same in the
grand list of such town Tor city, at
one per cent of it's true value in
money, and will faithfully discharge
all the duties imposed upon ME by
law. So help me God Cor under the
pains and penalty of perjury"
The office of lister is of greater i'm
portance even than usualiin 1910, be-
cause the quadrennial appraisal OF
property must take place this year.
When the returns of this appraisal
are made the listers must subscribe
to this oath: I'VE do solemnly swear
that we have set down all the real es-
tate situated in the town of
according to the best of our informa.
ton, and we have appraised the SAME
at it's just value in money
''Aa it's true value in money lat
it's Just value in money"-these are the
essential ideas for the lister always
to bear in mind. AS the Journal has
remarked before. the trouble with our
taxation system is quite as much
matter of improper al praisal Of prop
erty as it is a matter of Inadequate
laws.
Instances by the hundred may be
found where property, instead OF be
ing put into the grand list lat rf
true value is not put in at more thai
half its true valne. Probably the per
centage of property in Vermont real
ly appraised IA its true value 4
small. If the property We're only en-
tered at it's Just value" the rate
> of taxation might be made lower, I
| many instances. If the valuation il
y low, the tax must be made CORES
pondingly high and the town gets tn
/ credit of having high rate of taxa
u ton, a reputation not generally con
j. sidered desirable.
Many listers must be violating tn I'll
oaths of office by the returns the.
- make. The practice OF undervalua
ton has come to be a custom in s.
many places that it is not considere,
= moral delinquency. Nevertheless, tn
- phraseology of the law is plain an
the oath is not elastic When lister
~ decide to put property in at 10, or q
they violate the law, openly and flag
!. rantly. Where listers take such libel
~ ties with the law they destroy tn
equality in which all men are SUI
a. posed to stand before the law.
VI property is put into the list at il
|" true value in Bennington, at 10 pc
~ cent under its value in Brattlebor
IL and at 20 per cent less than it's valu
in st. Johnsbury, then it is plain
C. be seen that nominally, at least, til
Ell st. Johnsbury taxpayer is given a
CHI advantage over the property owner
EN- of the other towns mentioned. In rea
de ity, the rate may be enough higher
as offset the discrepancy. In any eve
ed the moral effect is bad, and the la
lis is violated.
he Great care should be taken th
"a the men chosen as listers are men
nj whom the public have entire col
he fidence, men who are known to
ce good judges of property, and homes
and efficient citizens. We do not 4
list ways exercise the same care in fill
ire this important office that we do
zee choosing the commissioners or a
we praisers of estates, and yet the p
by istion involves the affairs of an emit
town or city, instead of the proper
to of one individual or corporation. I'll
H. year the position is doubly importa
for we must fix the valuation up
IRIS which property is to be assessed {
Id. the next ten years.
he The office of lister is not one to
passed around. 1t should not go to a
Z man because he needs the money
sa- or 10 pay political debt The off
son should go to the best man who can
err secured for the place, and that m
ing should be kept there for more tn
ON one term.
lch The filling of this office is mat