Putnam patriot., 1924-10-10
By PUTNAM JUNIOR

gether and put through a revaluation program. This kept interest alive for . a time. but t died again. The sub ject has not since been one of popu- ! lar discussion.
 Reasons For Delay
 There are at feast two reasons why Putnam's property remains un- equitably taxed. Une ls that the as sessors are not paid enough so that they can be expected to do the really monumentous task of checking up
 on every piece of property in the
 city. Another appears to be that
 some people fear that If such q step
 was taken their taxes would be jack
 cd up while those of the man next
 door would remain stationary. 4
 third possible one is that no one has
 come forward who could put enough l time and energy into ehampioning the
 movement and getting t accepted. i The expense which would be attached ] to having men from outside Putnam make q thorough canvass and re- valuation of the city has also been il
 factor in the delay.
 Experts Not Essent;al
 l. is nat absolutely necessary. ] however. to have experts from some l other city than Putnam do the job l Perhaps they could better judge thl true value of property, and certainly l they would get the job done some ] time. Putting reyaluation of as l thing which can be done tany ol l timen ha proved harmful iH the eaHe of Putnam If a concern from l Boston, let us sag, were engaged at nominal figure to make 8 thorough l investigation of the city and true l reValuntion of all property f0uaI, i they would set date for tho start and finish of the work. and fl ~oalt be cafied through on schedule.
 II the sane thing i7 t0 be done by Putnam people tpfobab.y the as- ses 0rsj they should do it on g. scaed ! ule. and certainly should eet som extra remuneration. One man with whom we talked said he belt vsd sl, i 0O0 per year Was the proper salary 1 for an assessor. With such pay he could and would do more work than at present people can reasonably eN-
 peet of him.
 Many Complaints
 The appraisal of mill properties. of i building lots. of houses. and automo- i pile has been subject to criticism at
 one time or another One man told
 us that some buildings are appraised on the income derived from them rather than from their cost minus certain deductions. Another person told us of two vacant building lots,
 side by side. but owned by different men. on which valuation per square
 .oot differs considerably for no ap-
 parent reason. Still another gentle men, one prominent in civic affairs,
 said he believed that half the pianos
 in the city were never noted on tax
 lists filed with the assessors. The
 assessors are supposed Co check up lists filed with them, but because of
 the small pay granted them by the
 town cannot dc this in anywhere
 near all of the cases
 Action In Wins,ed
 Action recently taken in Winsted, Connecticut. city of approximately the size of Putnam was to spend Sil,- 900 for revaluation. A committee If citizens there has been authorized Co en age an efficient appraisal firm and also to employ surveyors to make maps of the city for future reference by the assessors and board of relief. The city of Norwich. too has re- ruenized that it's valuation system K out of date. and the Chamber of Commerce there is striving Co im-
 prove the system. 4 committee l. . holding regular meetings and studies
 are being made of other cities where revised modern assessment methods have been instituted. When the , Chamber committee has decided just what in its opinion is the best Way Of improving the situation. 1t will make recommendations to special city meeting to be called later.
 Would Boost Grand List A reyaluation of all property in { Putnam would result in the boosting ! of the grand list very greatly. Be ! cause the tax levied each year is bas ed on the grand list. this should result ! in the tax rate being greatly reduced But taxing people at the rate of sa, | ten mills on the new grand list. shoul . not differ materially. in dollars an, z cents. from taxing people twenty-tW, and one half mills on low grand list ' as k the ease today In other words ' a revaluation of property. while plac | ing everyoue's property on an equa 4 basis. ought not to result in anyon . paying more taxes.
 [ And this k where the shoe pinches I< Can anyone guarantee this2 No 0
 course net But it is reasonable {,
 believe that officials would be jus \ as careful about spending the tax l payers money. after the revaluatioi ns they are now. l. is. therefore also reasonable to believe that peo pie would not be called upon to pay
 any more money in taxes than they do from year Co year now.
 Low Tax Rate an Advantage Besides getting all property on a fair and equal basis of valuation foi
 taxable purposes. the revalultior