The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-23
For Alleged Leniency in Get
ting in the City Taxes
$1,000 NOW ON THE BOOKS
Board of Civil Authority, at Meeting
Last Night, Recommended Send
ing Some of Delinquents to
Jail Till They Pay.

ne BuaId Oi civil authority IfI ihae
evening for the abatement Of taxes aud
found plenty Of work to keep them in
session until ii O'Clock There were 10
members OF the board present. and +. 9.
Rowland was elected chairman There
were nine personal appeals made, and
after these had been heard the board
took up the 1904 taxes on the book Of
former constable James r. Coutts
About 200 names Of delinquent tax pay
ers were read off this book that still
remain uueollected Members OF the
board recognized about a bakers dozen
Of these names Of people from whom
they thought the taxes could be col
lected.
When the question Of abating the re-
mainder Of the list was presented the
board was in quandary over what to
do with them. Some members Of the
board thought that the whole list had
outlawed as the taxes were six years old
last August, but Others claimed that
they had not necessarily outlawed as
many of the men on the book probably
had been out Of the state for time
and taxes do not outlaw while the man
is without the state. The board thought
that ell of the tax collectors in the
past had been too Ienient with delin
quent taxpayers with the result that the
city has about $1,000 in unpaid taxes
Jon its books which 90 in as a part Of
the city's assets.
Several OF the board expressed 1t as
their opinion that the collector should
take few Of the delinquent payers to
the county jail, and nine-tenths Of them
would scratch around and get the mon
ey before the Jail door was hardly locked
behind them. The present collector was
asked how many men he had taken to
the county Jail in the five years he had
been collector and he replied that be
had taken one, and that man paid up
before he had been in Jail a day. The
board said that the collector should
bring his books before the board at
least twice a year and have all the
names read. over that the members might
offer suggestions and put the collector
onto the track of many of the peo-
pie.
1t was finally decided TO leave the
disposition Of the Coutts book over until
the next meeting which was called for
Friday evening, January IS, at 7 o'clock.
The board then turned to consideration
of appeals. Mrs. Emma Durkee Of South
Main street thought that her property
had been appraised too. high, and that
it was a great hardship for her to pay
any taxes though she had always paid
them. The board voted to rebate her
S400
j. B, Aagnaghi. representing the
Presbrey. Coykendall company, stated 70
the board that in making out the com
pany's inventory he had neglected to
insert an Offset Of $4,000, representing
a mortgage ON the property The board
decided that his claim was Just and
voted to rebate s92, the difference which
this offset would make.
Louis Caleagni stated that his mother
paid to the collector her husbands poll
tax for 1909. His father, he said, was
sick and went to Italy soon after April
and has been there ever since, and his
mother was not able to pay the tax but
did so under protest. Rebated
II. F. Cutler stated that the assessors
had taxed him for a horse which he
had in his stable on April |, but which
was owned BY J. w Burgess OF Mont
pelier and New York The tax amount
ed to $3.50 and Mr., Cutler paid it un-
der protest. Assessor Riley informed
the board that the law required that the
assessors should tax Mr. Cutler for the
horse as its owner was out Of the state
and its keeper is liable for the taN.
The appeal was dismissed. Mr. Cutler
also stated that he held mortgage on
the r. D. Vaughan property on Frank
lin street. on which the tax has not
been paid and he was willing TO pay
the original tax but did not think he
should pay the costs as the property
was listed in Mr.. Naughan's name. Dis
missed.
G. Soyoia thought he should not he
taxed last year as as he was not hero
on April l. He said that he went 10
Italy last year and returned May y Of
this year. He did not claim that he
went away with the intention of re-
naming away, and the board dismissed
his case.
Mother Of is Children Gets Rebate.
Mrs. Peter LeClair reported that her
husband was owing for his poll taxes for
the last three years. She said that her
husband was out OF the state and mad
been for nearly three years. When
asked If he was not able to pay his
taxes she replied that he, was not and
olinched her argument by adding that
she has rs children, seven Of whom are
still living at home and that 1t took
all of her husbands wages which he
sent here to her TO keep the family
alive. One member of the board stated
that he thought Roosevelt should pay
the taxes. but he would move that the
three taxes be abated and the motion
was carried unanimously
L. q. Rizzi said that he had made a
mistake in giving his inventory by not
understanding what was wanted and had
failed to note offsets Of about $500.
He was rehated S175.