Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-16
CHAIRMAN C. s, STETS0N
ADDRESSES WOMEN VOTERS
ON SUBJECT OF TAXATION"

Many Of the towns and cities in
this State are eXempting certain
properties from taxation and this is
against the law as laid down by the
supreme court of Maine" said Hon.
Clement S. Stetson. chairman of the
Board of State Assessors, in an ad-
dress given before the Augusta,
League of Women Voters Tuesday
evening at the "Y" Assembly hall
His subject was Taxation" and he
gave his audience a very clear in
sight into the working of our tax
system and explained the worst
faults which are found with it.
The regular business session was
first held. At this meeting a nominal
ing committee was elected. composed
of Mrs. Percy Whiting, Mrs. Myron
Davis and Miss Rosamond Conner,
which committee is to report at the
next meeting. Miss Mabel Conner
then gave a short talk on "Citizen-
ship" and the president introduced
Mr.. Stetson.
In few words, Mr.. Stetson told
the way in which the money was
l..
He spoke of the state. county and
municipal tax and illustrated to the
audience how this, was apportioned
to the people and stated that the
State government would be unable
to continue to function if the money
was not raised. despite the idea
which some people hold TO the con-
trary.
He told OF the idea which is cur
rent, that if town is undervalued.
it will not have such a large State
tax. He said in this connection that
by law the State assessors were
obliged 10 consult with the various
town assessors and that in this way
they were able to tell if a town was
undervalued and so assess enough
more taxes on that town so that it
would have to bear it's rightful
burden. This differentiation is not
an honest thing as by so doing. con-
sidering of course that the State as
SCISSORS do not find it out. part of
the tax which one town should pay
is then transferred to another and
they must pay, not only their own
tax but also a portion of that which
rightfully belongs to the one which is
undervalued.
The question Of exempting different
parties both by towns and by the
State legislature was then taken up,
and he showed how according to the
law it was illegal for a town %
exempt any property. The only thing
which can be done in this line is to
abate the taxes of a person who is
tunable to pay. Regarding the exemp-
ton of soldiers. sailors and marines of
our previous wars, who after reaching
the age of 20 years are exempt from
paying a tax on their property up to
the value of $4,000. he said that help
should be given them in other ways,
il necessary, but that this law should
be repealed as it was being abused,
through relatives of these people
deciding property to them simply to
escape the tax
The tax burden is becoming heav-
Ter, according to Mr.. Stetson. who
said that usually when the valuation
went up the tax rate went down, but
that in the last four years the value
Of the property of the State of Maine
had risen from 1921. 100000 to s637.
100000 or an increase of nearly "a
per cent. In the same time the aver
age tax rate in this State has jumped
from $2s.75 to 3s4.s0 per $1,000, or
better than IS per cent. The burden
at the present time il such that many
of the taxpayers are forced to pay on
installments. and where this will end
the speaker was unable to say. But