New Britain herald., 1928-08-14
PdinuiM News

M Grand List Forecast
 STARTLING VALUE RAISE Company Consent to Boost from
 sas,ooo to sl7s,ooo-Park Con-
 mission Authorized - Plaipyille
 Native Dies-Democrats to Meet.
 The unit foot and acreage values placed on local land by the land value and revaluation committees were unanimously approved at a special town meeting held in the High school auditorium last night, and the figures prepared by these committees were recommended to the board of assessors for use in compiling the 1928 grand list. There was much less discussion than had been anticipated, property owners who had felt that the figures were rigid values from which there could be no deviation being soothed by committee members who explained the sliding scale and system of de. preciations which are to be used in connection with the values. Most of those who spoke last night were endeavoring to explain this fact. and the opposition, slight as it was in the first place, had been won over before the vote was taken.
 The voters also authorized the selectmen to appoint a board of three park commissioners. First Selectman James Simpson called the meeting to order and, as Stanley $ Gwillim had returned to town. this permanent chairman was again named to take charge of the meet ing. The park commission was dis cussed first.
 A A. Macleod. D. p.esldent of the Chamber of Commerce, presented (, ment Of three park commissioner rs with terms of one, two and three years, respectively. After this had been approved. he offered another resolution authorizing the board to prepare a set of rules for the use of parks and submit these regulations at a special or annual town meeting for approval and adoption by tn. town. This also met with unanimous approval.
 MT. Macleod then presented a third motion 10 the effect that the consensus of opinion at the meeting was that the first selectman be one of the board of park commissioners H. $. Washburn objected, saying that the first selectman was an cx-officio member Of all appointed boards and that he believed 1t more desirable tC have three appointees besides the selectman. Mir. Macleod then with. drew his resolution.
 Wheeler Explains Work
 Frank T. Wheeler. chairman of the general revaiuation committee. then presented the report of that body prefacing it with an explanation o1 it's workings. The main corh hmittee had held six meetings, he said. and then appointed land value com- mittee. This met nine times during the hot months with nearly 100 per cent attendance, reworking the estimated land values and changing them time after time. 4 safe and a file have been purchased within the appropriation voted for them. he said.
 The expert appraisers will vel come visitors seeking information. Mir. Wheeler stated. but they will not be able to give out house values un- til all have been completed. There has been complaint about the method of determining the ages of houses, he went on. but added that in checking up personally he found the appraisers had always come ex- ceedingly close
 The first property looked up by the rcvaluation committee had been taxed for only 25 per cent of it's value. he asserted, and added that | tHNS llou louho pIopCitlCd taxed at as low as 16 2-3 per cent. Numerous complaints had been re- ceived. Mr. Wheeler admitted, most Of them coming from farmers on the outskirts of the town. He ex- plained that front foot values would be used for only those parts of farms which were used for dwell- ings. the rest being valued on an acreage oasis. Grade \ farm land is valued at 3125 an acre. Grade E at $95, orchard land at $75, pasture land at $2S. swamp and at s1O and wood land at $20 to $50. depending upon the stand of timber.
 The former figures of the assessors were completed disregarded in ar- irving at the new values, he stated. He then presented the chairman with a larg map Of the land values, small copies Of which had been distributed at the door to the more than 100 persons present. He also moved the adoption of the values thereon and that they be recommended to the assessors for use in making up the 1928 grand list. Mir. Gwillim point ed out that the committee wanted