Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-21

main lines the other way across tiie
town, one of which is the old stage
route from Portland to Boston via
| Dover.
Thus it will be seen that the burden
of taxation is already heavy upon
large part of the citizens. For 20
wears the rate has constantly in
creased from II mills in 1882 to - mills
in 1912. and in addition to this bond
ed debt of $4,000. SO the expenses
have increased faster than the Valua-
ton. The population constantly de-
creased faster than the valuation. m
creased 5000 so years ago less than 2oO0,
today.
The tax is assessed entirely upon
the land and the visible personal prop
erty of farmers and others. No cor
poration of any kind in the town.
There are in the town two hundred
who pay poll tax only. Five hundred
seventy five (575) others or eighty
eight per cent. (SS) of all resident tax
payers in the town have an average
assessed wealth of $4,000. These
small land owners pay sixty per cent.
(60) of the resident tax. 1t is not a
question of public improvement with
L
They have been assessed to supply
water for the benefit of those living
along the Post Road and Ogunquit;
for State road wholly located there;
for new roads and bridges, town hall,
High school building-to which Ogun-
quit sends one third of the scholars
recently four other school buildings,
one of which, $500 in Ogunquit making
in the last % years an expenditure
for their extra purposes of $9S.f19.41.
OF this amount there was expended
along, on and for the POST Road
Beach and Ogunquit $S9,s1S.oS. All
the balance of the town $S,1413s.
Of the amount expended for new
roads and bridges Ogunquit has had
one third. High school they have one
third of the scholars. Town hall they
have their part the same as any body
else. For school buildings, fully one
third. During this time Ogunquit tax
was only one-sixth of the whole,
whereas the property back of the Post
Road has paid more than so per cent,
and got per cent. OF regular APP
preparations for necessary expenses,
paid 80 per cent, got % per cent.
me oniy III ldNOl bl tiiiS
bill is that it will build up property.
Here you are assessing seven miles
of sea front to build up one mile
and this mile mostly built-besides as
sessing all other property. You are
giving the land spectators n chance
to advertise. Tax exemption on one
side of the river-three per cent CD
taxes on the other.
Again in Ogunquit some one hun
bred thirty 130) voters. They can
come into townmeeting and make large
, appropriations for good roads, etc, as
| they would pay only thirteen per cent.
(13) of IL. and residents half of
that. They could vote to pay off the
debt, as they would have to pay only
thirteen per cent CID of it, balance of
town, eighty-seven per cent (S7)
through debt incurred by building the
Town hall, High school building and
i the school building in Ogunquit.
The argument will be that the town
refused to give them water, lights,
sewers, etc. What are the facts?
LIST. Water. These gentlemen, or
part of them who now seek this char
ter had water company which they
organized for profit to themselves. Not
being successful, they sought the town
to supply the water, which it did
without any opposition What the town
did not know until afterwards was
that this Ogunquit Water Company
unloaded on to the Mousam Water
/ Company their worthless plant for
three thousand dollars cash and three
thousand stock in Mousam Water
Company
End. Lights. These same gentle
| men got charter to furnish lights
The first application to the town was
for ii TO contract with this paper COM
pany to furnish lights AS they had
no plant and to furnish lights would
have to sell the contract to some
other company, if obtained, hence the
! town refused to contract.
3rd. Sewers. These same gentlemen
obtained charter in 1911 to biuld and
construct sewers in Ogunquit Chap
ter 1874, Special Laws of 1911 They
applied to the town per warrant 1872
No estimate as to cost or plans. Now
! they wish this charter. Then go ahead
| on their sewer scheme. If profitable,
tbey would own tiff not, ttraleat3sst,f9
~ aiAla ' ialei6E III BCldlluil DIS -IIt1s are
the sewer company also officers in
this village corporation and doubtless
could maSea good trade Same Culd
plea of special priKilege-tax the many
for the benefit of the few, -.
Why should not this property be
taxed to pay the necessary expenses
of the town. 1t isrtaxed nowhere else.
1t is no answer to say, if not there
could not tax it, That would be true
of all property. There is much objec-
ton 10 double taxation Here you
have it, All are taxed for schools
roads, the poor, town officers, etc. The
farmers pay their full tax for these
purposes. Then the rebate of 60 per
cent. makes a deficit of $4,000. So they
must be assessed over again for the
balance due the schools, roads, etc.
Summer people would not perma-
nently develop a town so much as
mills and corporations employing
labor. Is it the public policy of the
State to rebate their taxes to develop
their water power?
Railroads, trolley lines, telegraph
and telephones develop the State Is
it the public policy to rebate their
taxes TO extend their lines?
On