Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-16

to the change Of rate. Asked by KEEP.
Allan Of Portland of the committee
how much is uncollected. He said he
didn't know but undoubtedly there is
considerable He thought an increase
in rate might increase the number OF
uncollected poll taxes.
Rep. George Alden of Gorham said
he represented a town with 81 rate
and saw no reason for change. He
believed it would be a hardship to the
residents Of Gorham village who would
then have to pay SO to the town and
another dollar to the village corpora
ton He said he spoke for them, al
though he was not a resident of the
village himself I'VE don't see any rea-
son why our friend Newcomb, be-
cause he has difficulty collecting his s.
poll tax, should try to make us all
change our rates to 49," he said, II
should calculate that if man was
small enough to skip around from one
town to another to save a dollar it
would be mighty hard to collect his tax
anyway
DR. A. W. Plummer of Lisbon, for
mer representative, also appeared in
opposition to the bill. THE poll tax
is a purely local tax" he said, no part
of it reaches the State, therefore it
should be left to the towns to fix the
amount | would even leave it with
the towns to say whether they would
assess any. I've noticed in the past
that most of these uniform poll tax
bill, propose a 50 rate and come from
towns that asst SIS s.. I'd have less oh
lection to this bin if it were made 81,
less still if it were made 81, and none
at all if it were made zero
The poll tax is unjust any way" he
continued. no one can say how much
a poll tax ought to be. They say the
man WHO doesn't pay d tax on prop
crty ouGnt to pay something towards
the support of the government The
Obligation is rec iproc7l. and the gov
crnmcnt should give him value receiV
cd Can any orc say whether the poll
tax payer receiN es 81 value from the
government or 81 or 81 In the case
0f real estate it's possible to deter
mine the proportionate value receiv-
ell. not so in the case of the poll tax.
Stato Assessor Wilbur F. Dresser fa-
VorcG the bill. In the last few years
there has been a large increase in the
: tax Of cNcryhOuN except the poll tax
PAYER. h said. The man fortunate
cnoG"h TO live in Gorham village
'houd hn willing to pay the extra dol
lar. he said
( The debate closed with a remark by
. Rep. Alden that sit seems to me the
average poll tax payer, 2s they call
: MIN, pays his share of the tan when
he pays for his rent and his food. and
those have conc up with the tares.'
There was a lively discussion on the
amendment to the law relative to tax
alton of personal property that would
maze pulp WOOD, cordwo0d and LOGS
taxa! !" in the town where located on
April I. instead of where they are to
lac worked mp in the mills. as at pres
emit Chairman bertrand &. McLntre
Of the Board of state Assessors. spoke
in favor of it, saying that it would
class this lumber with sawed lum-
her nj the mill. that it would bring I'M
der taxation considerable property now
escaping taxation, and that it seemed
only fair taxes on this lumber should
ho raid in the towns where it is cut
Cart i. Sandherg. chief assessor of
West Forks Plantation, also spoke in
favor of the bill.
There was considerable opposition
10 the bill on the ground that il would
result in confusion for the lumber
companies, which now make returns
b I" the trWn who're the lumber is to be
manufactured, and that it would eX-
emit from taxation. apparently. a
large amount of the lumber located in
wild land townships, or else would i'm
pose. II the State taxed it as we'll as
the towns where it was to he worked
up, in double taxation. The present
system is well established, well under
stood and results in practically all the
property paying taxes. they said
whereas % per cent. would be in wild
land townships under the new law.
/ Hon. j. L. Bass of Bangor pointed out
that the tax is now paid in the towns
where are located the companies that
supply the money for cutting and hauling
the lumber. There is nothing but the
stumpage but what belongs in the towns
where are located the corporations which
pay for cutting and hauling it and which
manufacture it, he said. That's why
4 1t is better to have it as it is now in
stead OF having it all mixed up If YOU
cut II all up this way the people of the
state won't get so much out of it, 1t is
impossible to get at the logs in streams
and lakes in this way
r The trouble is, that there are so MANY
amendments and laws put onto these
things that make it difficult for the peo-
pie trying to do business honestly
Others who spoke against the amend
ment, mainly on the ground that it would
result in confusion worse confounded."
were Hon. George q. Weeks of Fairfield
John r. Nelson of Augusta, representing
the Eastern LAUNDERING Association of
Maine, c. f. Warren of Winslow Sam
uel II. Boardman of Guilford, Harry r.
Virgin of Portland and w. H. Monroe
of Milo. representing the American
thread Co.
II. P. Frank, corporation counsel of
the city of Portland, appeared before
the committee on taxation favoring an
amendment to the. law relative to the
commitment of taxes so that these COM
mitments would be made on or before
August l. leaving with the municipali-
ties the option of making them on or
before May l, instead of requiring COM
mitment BY May l as at present He