Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-24
The Mayor Replies
10 Oh. of State BID.
Statement Facts
Not Criticism

ASPllSS TO Cndlr-
man Stetson Of the State Assessors
insisting that he intended no criti-
cism; that what he lid intend was
70 inform the taxpayers Of Augusta
as to the exact situation.
Journal:
Il have noted the article in to-
days paper in which the Chairman
OF the State Board of Assessors as
serts that Criticised the action of
lne Board of State Assessors in the
valuation which they have placed
upon the property in the City of
augusta Tor purposes Of state and
county taxes for the years of 1927
and 1922. There was no criticism.
IT is unfortunate that a simple
statement of facts cannot be made
without being termed q criticism.
Ihe statement made by me stated
lacts and gave figures from 1921 to
1876 inclusive. The Chairman has
made no attempt to refute these
hgures. They are facts and cannot
The article was prompted by the
fact that a number of citizens of
Augusta have said that thew couid
not understand why there should be
any increase in the taxes of Augusta
IN lace of thesfact that they under
STOOD that the State was putting
every economy into practice and re-
duclng taxes. My desire was simply
TO set before the citizens the actual
IacIs and those facts show that be-
tween 1921 and 1926 the State tax
OF the City of Augusta has increas-
cd $22,117.7S. The facts show that
the valuation by the State for the
years 1927 and 1928 is more than
SSoo.oo0 in excess of the valuation
Ixed by the State for the years 1925
and 1926. On the present tax rate
TINS means an increase in the State
saX paid BY the City of Augusta of
so,5o0. These are facts and these
facts the Chairman of the State AS
SCISSORS does not attempt to refute.
In my statement | said there
were only two ways in which the
CITY could meet the burden imposed
by this increased tax. viz: by an
increase in valuation or an in
crease In the tax rate. That this
is what IN fact has taken place IN
the past Is evidenced by the answer
or the State Assessor. He SAYS that
Tour times In the last ten years the
state has added very materially
to the local assessors valuation"
and that each time the local asses
sors have increased their valuation
70 meet the valuation fixed by the
state" Most assuredly. The Sta.e
valuation and the city valuation are
independent. When the State valu
alton is 100000 in excess of the city
valuation 1t means that the City is
paying the State on that valuation
M
collected by the City.
Mr.. Stetson suggests that Au-
susta may get the money to paw this
increase by taxing the property now
not taxed. The only property of
any substantial value not taxed is
the Crossett Shoe Factory. The
citizens of Augusta were faced with
the proposition of losing this property
or exempting it from taxation for a
short term of years. The situation
was such that the public spirited
citizens who owned the building in
which the factory is located COOPER
ated in retaining this industry to the
extent that they gave the use of the
building to the Shoe Company with
out charging rent. When rent is
charged the city gets taxes.
Il do not believe that the. Board
- 1totC AScCoSOfS Woulu TeCOfl--
mend that Augusta lose this in
dustry. We are urged to raise
money to advertise Maine, among
other things for'the purpose of get
ting industries. Augusta has made
small contribution; for advertising.
Is it not far wiser to make an eff
fort to keep an industry, which is
already located here and in which
our citizens are employed, than 1t
is to spend money in speculation in
an attempt to get some new and
unknown industry and which If OBJ
tailed would have to be gotten at the
price of exemption either on the
part of the citizens In the way of
taxes or by direct contribution? It
is practically impossible to get an
outside industry to come here ex-
cept as a result of some such con-
cession. / am sure the citizens of
Augusta would welcome any sug
gestion Of any new industry which
they can get even at the price of
some concessions.
II wish to reiterate that my state
ment was not criticism of the
State Assessors valuation that was
placed upon the City but was to
emphasize the fact that there was q
constant increase in the amount Of
money which the City Of Augusta
had to pay to the State. The citi-
zens have not generally understood
that fact. If the State spends the
money the state Assessors have to
raise 1t just as the Assessors of
Augusta will have to find ways and
means to raise additional money to
meet the increase in the state tax
made upon the City of Augusta.
The repeated assertions that the
State was reducing the expenses
in its various departments and had
large surplus has led many of the
citizens of Augusta TO believe that
the burden imposed upon the city
has been lessened. The fact Is 1t
has been constantly increased. The
citizens are entitled to know the
facts and / was endeavoring to get
these facts before them. Telling the
citizens these facts is not criticism.
"The answer of the Chairman of
the State Assessors contains the
following statement:
mayor Mclean called atten-
ton to the fact that the county
taxes have not been increased in
proportion to the state taxes.
The state and county taxes are
assessed on the same valuation;
that Is. the valuation as placed
by the State Board of Assessors.
If. through better business man
agement or for any other rea-
sons. the county commissioners
have been BILE to keep down the
county taxes to a greater extent
than the officials of the City OF
Augusta, we certainly congratu-
late Kennebec county on having
very efficient board of County
Commissioners"
IT'S unfairness is SO apparent that
n hardly needs to be called atten-
ton to.
1--WE have heard much less about