Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-21
SENATOR BREWSTER
TALKS ABOUT TAXES
OPPOSING Governor

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Mechanic Falls, Dec. Ex-senator
Brewster addressed the Minot Corner
Grange here today on the subject of
Taxation"
A high authority in this state has
recently proposed that the valuation
of the farms in Maine on the Asses
sors' books should be doubled, he said.
1t is argued that this would not
increase the tax contribution of
the farmers for municipal pur-
poses and, IL the valuation of
all other property in the munich
pality were increased in the same ra-
ito, this is of course true. This
would however, result IN doubling the
contribution of the farmer to the
state treasury through the medium of
the state tax. 1t is urged that this
will give to the various towns a less
formidable tax rate and will tend to
increase the market value of the
farms.
question the soundness of the last
argument and 1 cannot believe that
the advantages to be gained from the
other considerations urged are suf-
ficient to warrant any increase in the
of the state of Maine. / do not be-
lieve there can be any Increase in
any form Of the burden of taxation
now resting upon the farmers of this
state. The difficulties confronting the
farmers of this country today are a
topic of increasing concern ana the
solution is not yet in sight, but l
should feel it was automatic that we
should not add another straw to the
great burden which the farms in
this state are already carrying.
In addressing ourselves to the mat
ter of increase of valuations, l be-
lieve that we may more properly turn
our eyes to the cities in this state
where there are gross inequalities in
the valuations of business properties.
This was one of the issues during
the recent charter campaign in the
city of Portland and was one of the
chief factors in connection with the
change in government which has
been brought about there. The in
CAPABILITIES of the valuation of the real
estate upon our main business street
were so gross that they discredited
those responsible for them. l pre-
sumo that similar conditions may
exist in other sections of our state.
all property, treating the large bust
ness blocks on the same basis as that
of the small home owner is the only
just solution of the problem and one
that will result in a more just distri-
button of our tax burden.
The problem of total exemption
from taxation is also becoming an
increasingly serious one in our cities.
In the city of Portland, for instance,
one corporation holds exempt from
taxation practically three million
dollars in real estate. much Of it stu
ated in the heart Of the city and in
creasing rapidly in value. The taxes
upon this property if 1t were in
other hands would amount to one
hundred thousand dollars a year. and
this means that every tax payer in
the city of Portland must pay one
dollar per thousand additional on his
tax rate because of the exemption of
this one corporation.
The total exemptions in the city
of Portland for. charitable and re-
ligious corporations is now ten mil
lion dollars or ten percent Of the to-
tai valuation of the city,, and this
means an additional tax of three dol
lars and a half per thousand for
every tax payer in the city OF Port
land.
If the same ratio obtained through
out the state between taxable and
tax exempt property, the single cor
poration of which speak would hold
forty million dollars of property tax
exempt, and other tax exempt hold
ings in this same class would bring
the total up to one hundred and
twenty-five million dollars.
This is not a novel problem, as
England four centuries ago, faced
exactly the same situation with the
accumulation of real estate in the
hands of those who did not con-
tribute to the expenses of govern
ment. This resulted in the enact
ment Of legislation prohibiting the
holding of property beyond certain
limited amounts.
In Maine the more natural and
more obvious solution at this time
OF this increasingly serious problem
is either to eliminate entirely the
exemptions now enjoyed by religious
and charitable corporations, or else
to limit to a low minimum the
amount that may be held tax exempt
by any given corporation.
These properties enjoy the protec-
ton afforded by our government and
may properly be asked to contri-
butte in some proportion to the public
charges.
The Oranges and the other great
fraternal orders of our state are
founded on the Bible and incu1-
cate the principles of morality which
To insure success in her new venture