Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-24
DAILY KEfNEBEc JOURNAL THURSDAY FEBRUARY q ls1l

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY u,
Ito increase the poll tax rate to nve
dollars. win say that the State Of
Massachusetts increased its poll tn
from $500 to $500 and Vermont
! and New Hampshire increased their
Epoll tax rates from $500 to. $500.
Under the terms of this propOs-
! Ted bill. it is left to the people Of our
! lState to Say what increase we will
make, to see IL we will increase the
J lpoH tax from $500 to $500 In
this State so that the poll tax payers
will help pay the burden of the great
tax which we have to pay. 1t seems
to me, Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen
that the young men of our State
fshould be perfectly willing to, pay a
poll tax at this rate, and should be
Willing to stand their proportional
part of the great burden in taxes
which we have to pay I therefore
move that the bill receive its third
Reading.
Mr.. CRANE OF Portland: Mr. Speak
Ter, my understanding from rather
hurried examination of this bill shows
THAT this makes the law not optional
with the municipalities but absolute
lin its terms. The poll tax must be
$500. My recollection of the statute.
(which T am unable at this time to
read, is that it is now optional.
In, the city of Portland, we have
"a poll tax of 5000: it was changed
some years ago to $500 to 500, and
fin other municipalities it is even now
$500. I certainly feel that this
measure should be changed and that
lit ought not. to be fixed definitely for
the whole State. However, Ishave no
. fobjeotion to its being made option
tai and not exceeding $500, and
for that purpose, I would like to offer
House Amendment A.
Il The. SPEAKER: While this amend
! ment is being prepared the House
! might proceed with the other matters
on the calendar
: The SPEAKER: The Chair pre-
sentsi for the consideration of the
House. Bill, An Act relating to the
Bangor Police Department. House
Doc. III, tabled pending third read
ing, on motion by MIR. Chalmers of
Bangor.
On motion by Mr.. Chalmers of
Bangor the bill received it's third
, reading and was passed to be en-
crossed.
Tffe SPEAKER: The Chair presents
for the consideration OF the House,
communication from the State Audi
tor transmitting list of salaries of diff
ferent departments of State, tabled
pending further consideration, on
motion by Mr.. Maher of Augusta.
Mr.. Maher yielded to the gentleman
from Portland. Mr.. Rounds
Mr.. ROUNDS: Mr.. Speaker and
gentlemen. this bill or this order was
put in by me some time ago so. that
: every gentleman in this House and
e EVERY person in the State might know
I, what prices were being paid to the
, men employed by the State of Maine.
The work has been done by the
1 State Auditor and now the matter
has been stopped pending action of
this House, and in this amendment I
4 have tried to have a substitution of
< 1000 copies printed instead of 1900.
D Now ! think that every gentleman in
I thAAc AAOdoS CNCEy
throughout this State wants to know
: whatceaeh one is getting. 1T has been
said that on account of the expense
! it would be too much of an expendi-
y ture., I don't know just what the en-
tpenSe would be. Some say it is 60
ing to be up as high as $500, but even
If it is 5000, when you get home and
! bthat report is shown to your constitu-
ents. you will come back here and
. we will save $4,000 by having this re-
I port made. No doubt it will show
quite an increase from the year 1909
in the salaries which are paid in all
l the different departments. think you
S all know that at this time there are
= over 80 bills in here now for increases
of salary.
Now, Mr. Speaker and gentlemen,
we have been asked to retrench and
think 1t is time we started. There
were So in this House who came be-
:, fore our committee last week, heads
of departments. and it was stated be-
. fore our committee that a great many
i We're getting more than the heads of
n departments, and it is shame that
q IlG CLERKS III tnlS Legislature SHouiu
o be paid more than the heads of some
d of our departments; and it is all
{ handed dswn from an old law, and d
: great many of the departments have
: never been increased, but through the
agency of the Governor and Council
last year or two years ago, in 1919,
by bill No. 215. this was made elastic,
> and the Governor and Council have
> made increases. One man has been
: raised ON February 18th. 1920, $100e,
and dating it back thirteen months
:, and half. Now, gentlemen, that
does not look right. / know you all
want to get home. and I also know
THAT when you get home you will want
to know and to be satisfied in your
: own minds that you acted wisely in
this matter. / have only cited this
one instance, but if had the time
: could cite a numbeA of instances
9 where the same thing has been done.
q and think it is time we put stop
: to these things. and for this reason
: I would like to have this order passed
. as amended, providing for the print
!, ing Of 1000 copies.
Il The SPEAKER: Does the Chair