Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-11-03
Evening Session

greatly appreciated the governors
kind invitation.
Evening Session
The evening session of the Maine
! Assessors was held in the Hall of
Representatives. This meeting was
opened at $50 o'clock with a contin-
uation OF the two motion pictures
pictures which were shown Tuesday.
Speeding the Spoken Word" and
Tracing a Line" showing the de-
velopment of the telephone. The
meeting was then called TO order and
President Stetson announced the
first speaker, Hon. Charles +. Paine.
town treasurer of Bar Harbor. who
spoke on the ''Valpation and Taxa
ton Of Summer Resident Properties"
Mr.. Paine announced at the start
. that he was not an assessor at the
present time and that this was his
first opportunity to I've present at
meeting OF this kind. but that he
might be able TO help them on this
property because he had been as
SCISSOR at abr Harbor. which has a
large amount of this kind of prop
ert-.
Then he told of the importance
of having a good level headed man
for the Office Of assessor. that the
property might be valued as it
should be. TO be right both with the
town and the owner. He told of the
building up of the average summer
place, starting first with 4 few peo-
pie at the hotels and a few moro
owning small cottages. These kept
growing larger and larger. without
/ increasing the value of the property
as a whole as much as one would
! suppose from the outlay. This value
of course is considered IS the market
value. 1t was the idea or the speak
! er that the value of any property
1 should be determined from it mar
! ket value. that is. after a fair time
| had been given for its sale, or else
/ from its value as an investment.
! During the time when the found
crs of this colony. speaking of Bar
| Harbor. were living there the taxes
were paid without fail and the sum-
mer people thought that they got
\ their moneys worth in the scenery,
air and all OF the mary 5ports which
arc enjoyed there. But the passing
of these people, a new generation
/ took possession, who had not the
same love for this place that their
parents possessed. They lived there
a short item only. or not at all. For
what they got out OF the places. the
expenses were enormous. SO they
tried to sell or rent and the price
which they could realize on these
| properties was but a part Of Whit
T had been expended.
Mr.. Paine expressed the opinion that
some people thought that because they
had money the summer people should
10 taxed more than the natives, but
he said that il two properties were
owned. enc By native and smother
By summer visitor and both wero
Of equal value they should be taxed
the same. lie said that taken as a
whole the properties at Bar Harbor
which he took a : an example because
he was familiar with them. were taxed
at the market value or in some cases
more than that He SAYS that tie
whole problem lies with the assessors
aAto what Naluatio they will put on
the property.
| He then said that the things which
would Help thcm to do their work IN
4 satisfactory manner to all concern
cd, were meetings Of this kind where
they might bet together and talk over
their problems and help each other out
He thought that if the assessors did
their work in a manner that made
taxes too high for these people. they
would leave the town and this would
not only spoil business but would put
the burden Of the total taxes on fewer
people.
/ President Stetson then said that he
was in hearty accord with the views
expressed by Mr.. Paine and that ne
had looked the situation over. as re-
CARDS Ear Earbor and that notwith-
standing the idea which was quite pre-
valont. that the summer people were
undrrtaXcd, he believed that they
were paying al they should in this
manner.
! Gardner on "Equalization Problems"
I Representative William Tudor
/ Gardiner of Gardiner in his talk on
I Equalization Problems emphasized
the difficulties with which the asses
sor must cope by the following story
given in his own words:
"As | see 50 many assessors gath
! cred together. I am reminded of
prayer with which minister opened
one OF tho sessions of our Senate last
winter. The minister was a very able
and eloquent speaker and I think I
may quote him without being disre-
spectful or irreverent. He said: oh
Lord. look down on this Senate today.
II any group Of men ever needed Your
assistance. Oh Lord. it is this little
group here II is doubtless unncce=-
saly for me to attempt to state 20
You the difficulties as well as the re-
."ponsibilltics which combine TO male
the Office D. assessor one OF the mos.
dlfilcult as well as one Of tho most
important positions in our form of
government"
II bringing out the importance of
the cs3cssors' task Mr. Gardiner
spoke Of the difficulties attendant
Upon the performance Of his specific
cuty. reminding his hearers that
everybody wants the assessor TO
raise money but there are few who
want The money raised from them"
Growth OF wealth alorg with in
creased prosperity has complicated
the task Of the assessor inasmuch as
continually growing field which af-