New Britain herald., 1915-07-01
Plainviue News
GRAND LIST BOOST
WONT AFFECT TOWN
State Tax Now Based on Town
Expenses, Freeman Hears
ASOREHEADS" ARE BLAMED
il

Grand List Total Was High Enough
to Bar Town from State Aid for |
Average Attendance at Schools Any
way-Offcials to Have Vacation.
E. A. Freeman, chairman of the
board of assessors, has received assur-
ance from Comptroller M. C. Webster
that new laws enacted by the general
assembly at it's last session will nullify
as far as additional taxes is concerned.
the action of thu state board of eouali-
cation in raising Plainville's grand list
s150.0OO. According to the conptroll-
er, the raise will make, no change in
the amount the town will have to paw
to the state in taxes, new laws making
the method Of computing the share OF
the states expense to be paid by each
place entirely different from that
heretofore employed.
Under the old order Of things the
towns tax paid to the state was based
on the grand list total, whereas he
new law provides that it shall be cal
| culated according to the amount each
| place spends for current expenses and
any improvements which the officials
/, or voters may order during the year.
/ Comptroller Webster indicated in
/ his talk with the local assessor that
| the state boards object was to pre-
! vent the drain on the treasury which
n
/ expenses. Under the old law towns
which had grand lists, the total of
which did not exceed $4,000, 900, We're
entitled to money from the state, pro-
| viding the average attendance at he
/ schools was kept UP to a certain fig-
ure. The legislature this year changed
the statutes SO only towns with tax
able property worth less than $4,000
600 will get any of this appropriation.
AS the grand list of Plainville al
ready exceeded s2,oOo,000 when the
state board tackled on the. increase,
the town was outside of the charmed
circle, with no prospects of state aid
for average attendance in the schools.
I Consequently Assessor Freeman un-
I. derstands it, the raise will have no
effect on this town. It will pay tax to
grand list total making no difference
in the amount which the comptroller
will expect to receive.
With other local officials Chairman
Freeman was surprised and indignant
when he heard of the action of the
state board. He considered the in
crease an imposition as the property
of the town was already ON the list for
| e,,1J oy.xe f Ia 10 St NJ Il
that the boost was made after GER
tain Plainville individuals (the names
were not disclosed by the state board
had advised the tax commissioner s
Office that there was property here
that was not listed on the basis of 90
per cent valuation. The state board $
local informants he characterized as
"soreheads," who were probably dis
| assessors in increasing their lists this
year.
The assessors made a number OF
raises after very careful investiga :
ton of conditions and while they be
lieved that all were justified they con-
cluded that the limit was reached on
property valuations as shown by the
grand list and there was no occasion
for another boost by the state board
Mr.. Freeman expects to confer with
members of the board of equalization
regarding the matter to satisfy his
curiosity as to what basis was used
in making the raise. He is satisfied
from Comptroller Webster's interpre-
tation of the new laws, however, that
the increase will not affect the amount
which the town will have to pay to
the state in taxes.
Court to Have Vacation.
Z Justice A. H. Condelrs court, which
has been kept busy for several weeks,
t today went out of business tempo
rarily, Justice Condell and the prose-
c,1tor. Stanley S. Gwillim, having de-
cided to leave the operating of the
wheels of justice to other officials for
, two weeks. They will leave tomor-
row for the Thousand Islands. where
) they will spend their vacation
> Since Justice Condell and Grand
| Juror Gwillim went into Office there
!. has been more business in the courts
than for any corresponding period in
, several years. All of Constable Mar
mos cases have been turned over to
: them. =
AS Marine is the towns regular pa
troIman he has made major portion
of the arrests, the other officers nab
. bling lawbreakers but occasionally.
Prosecutor Gwillim is the only
!, grand juror having made uot war
rants for autoists who failed to have
their lamps burning when they passed
, through here. Grand Juror Norton
4 has not committed himself on what
;. course he will pursue should com
plants concerning violations of the
light law be made to him during the
t absence of the other officials.