Milford chronicle., 1922-01-13

uOW O44S TIC ASW Nesy - POSSADAS AoA PCA'
forming labor in the fields or on the
farms, should be taken advantage oi
by farmers.
THIS IS THE YEAR when the gen
eral assessment of all taxable prop
erty within the incorporated limits of
the Town of Milford shall be made,
and this is very important matter
for the members Of the Town Council
TO consider. It is up to them to ap-
point the man or men, to do this work
between now and the close of Febru-
ary--therefore the members of Town
Council are responsible for the new
assessment when completed and turn
ed over to them by the assessor.
There are several points to be consid-
cred in making the assessment of Mil
ford, which will have to stand for the
next four years as a basis of taxation.
It is an easy matter for any appOintee
to simply make Il copy Oe the old as
sessment, adding thereto what changes
made during the previous years and
the poll taxables who have gained a
residence. That is the way the assess
ment should not be made. Then it.
must be remembered, that the new
real estate values have made another
very important change in assessed
valuations. Old assessments may have
to be doubled, OF modifed-just as the
new conditions make it necessary. The
point of greatest Importance to the
people and the Town Council, is. that
the assessor shall be capable and di-
vest himself of sympathetic feeling
when making the value of all proper
ty. If the home of the laborer, built
from his weekly or monthly savings
through a building loan association,
be assessed as near as possible to the
value of the land and the cost of con-
struction under present conditions
then the mansion of the person of
wealth, shall be assessed as near the
true value of the land and cost of
constructing the residence, store or
factory under present conditions of
valuation. In plain words, a residence
costing two thousand dollars to build
with the land, is assessed at that fig
ure-then the residence with the land
which cost, or would cost to construct
at the present time, ten thousand or
more dollars, must be assessed at fig
ures representing such valuation. 1t
is not a misfortune to own valuable
property-for that reason the assess
or must divest himself of all feeling
that the owner will have considerable
money to pay in town taxes. That is
the fair way to make an assessment
to all alike. If the property is not
taxed equally, then the people are
unfairly taxed.
The Town Council members must
not forget, that it will cost some
money to make real assessment of
Milford. That it will be cheaper in
the end, to pay for ability and have
the work done right. The cost will
be distributed over a period of four
years, as the work is general in the
fourth year only.
T4 saa,,,e ,.aosoy, obIo IN haI;avo that |
three experienced men can make the
better than one man. One
should be expert on land values, an
other or building construction and the
third on business transfers of real es-
tate. These men should ascertain the
number of square feet Of
land in each property assessment, and
set that down as the basis for, valu-
ation-they must also ascertain the
character of the building and its cost
as well as its location as to increased
valuation by reason of business pur-
poses. To do this the Town Council
will have to get away from the moss
grown system of appointing an indi-
vidual as an assessor, who simply
ooks at property, failing to get the
iize of the lot, or its building con-
simply writing down on his
ist in offhand way what he casually n
links is a valuation in dollars and
ents. That is what the Town of Mil
ord must get away from. II there is I
lot three men in Milford capable Of i
oing this, then go elsewhere and get 6
hem. Lets have a, fair assessment,
caring upon all alike, and then levy 7
suficient tax to pay, of the floating i
ebt. which is already far beyond the e
sgaI limit-for which no one individ-
al is to blame. We are all respon-
ible. Now is the time to make the f
eform and it is up to the Town Coun- ?
il to get it going quickly.
RTAMUARn GTATION $