The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-19
COMMISSIONER OF
| TAXES HERE TODAY
Holding School of Instruc-
ton with Listers of
This County
PRINTED TAX LAWS
ARE DISTRIBUTED

Year Discussed at Meeting in Board
of Trade Rooms-Those Present as
Shown by Enrolment.
Tax Commissioner Charles A. Plumley
and George L. Tupper Of the tax commits
sioner's office are holding their annual
conference today with the listers OF
| the various towns of Windham county
and from towns in other counties who
find it more convenient to come to Brat
| tleboro. The meeting opened in the
board of trade rooms in the town hall
building at / o'clock and the two rooms
were well filled
Mr. Plnnley explained that the listers
were not present to discuss economic
theories or the fundamental principles
OF taxation, but Ia work out the problems
which perpleX every lister each year, IN
such way and in so far as possible to
Iproduce an equitable and Just distribution
of the cost OF government. The day has
come he said. when the lister must be
educated for the Job, trained for service,
honest in his purpose and unbiased in his
/ Judgment.
Bulletins were distributed among the
listers, which covered the questions most
commonly asked and arising in the ad-
minstration of the general tax law, to-
gether with the answers which the tax
commissioner had made to them Some
time was devoted to examination and
study OF this bulletin in order that the
listers might become familiar with its
arrangement and might see demonstrated
the use which they could make of it,
here were also distributed copies of an
i other bulletin containing the general tax
laws of the state, which the tax depart
ment had printed for fear that the listers
might not have early access to the gen
eral laws Mr.. Plumley urged the listers
not to rely upon their prior knowledge
Iof statutory law, stating that it was not
a safe proposition to trust to memory
when they had ready access to the print
ed law, as some amendment might have
been made by the legislature
The listers were urged to bear iii mind
that with the approval of the selectmen
they had right To correct the grand list
any time before July / and add any real
or personal estate that might have been
omitted from the grand list bv mistake.
Il have been asked several times" said
Mr.. Plumley, whether a man is entitled
TO claim an offset because of the debt eyi-
dence by bond for deed and | have
said that he could if the debt bore inter
est al 6 per cent. Such debt is credit
aid II 1t is written at rate of interest
not to exceed ) per cent it is exempt
under the neyloan law If it bears
interest at q rate in excess of 5 per cent
, it is taxable
There was important discussion as to
; bonds and notes held in trust, bank stock,
! the question OF who have to make inven-
l tories. bank deposits, the taxation OF
T corporations, etc.
Relative TO the quadrennial appraisal
the tax commissioner said: This is the
; year for the quadrennial appraisal and
| propose between now and June | to dis
tribute bulletin covering the matter OF
. making the quadrennial appraisal but
I while we are here let me say to YOU that
III making the quadrennial appraisal this
year 1t Is your duty. under the law tc
{ lappraise and set in the list apart from the
: taxable real estate, land sequestered fol
T public pious or charitable uses Sucl
/ list should contain the name of the own
; cr, description, and the amount of renta
e OF each parcel or part, and the purpose tc
: tlon OF rent each owner of a parcel oI
part of such land shall pay, and in ease
. Of school lands it must show the rent
? paid IN an itemized statement | call voul
d attention to this because this law was
t, inadvertently appealed at the time of th,
Is making of the last quadrennial appraisal
# and hundreds of dollars, if not thousands
OF revenue will be lost to the towns il
d You do not do your duty in this regard
l. This Is no easy task and i'll MANY cases
= will involve a searching of town record,
= and vii ltake considerable time, but i
!, should not be neglected or overlooked, o.
= left until the last
- Those attending the meeting. a
shown by the registration cards. wer,
a. Il. Robinson, f. O. Gould and NJ. L
= johnson of Wardsboro, s. o. Thayer
= Carl T. Reed and Edwin L. Rix of DUN
" merston, Ernest Pike and Fred II
- Wheeler of Stratton, A. G. Wellman ant
= Glen Howe of Brookline, O. j. Coolidge
u b. ". Beers and H. w. Abbott of Land
'e grove, g. l.. Adams and G. +. ingram
~ Of Marlboro, r. J. Wheeler, H. f. Learn
ne ard and r. J. Phillips of Halifax. "
:. a. Page, T. B. Hannum and p. F. How
ca ard of Putney, G. B. Morse and H. i
Us Stetson of Nottingham, Earl H. Lacke
he l.. +. Benson and John f. Williams 0
nd Winhall, Fred H. Holland and H. NJ
at Brown Of Dover, II. O. Drury and w. I
is Benson of Weston, Z. l.. Stowell and
If l.. Gleason of Windham, George n
d Myers, NJ. G. Walk and Edgar Ratf
- burn of Pownal, B. A. Streeter, Ernes
- W. Dnnklee and 7. W. Stoddard of Vel
T. Tobr