The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-30

An increase of more than a half billion dollars in the grand lists of New Haven county in the last twenty years is noted in statistics made public today by State Tax Commissioner W. H. Blodgett concerning the assessment and collection activity of that section of the state. The substantial rate of growth of the twenty-seven towns comprising the county is re- flected in the figures which show that from total of $2S6,429,27l in 1910, the assessed value of the county's taxable property rose to $S71,9O2,437 in 1880. This is an increase of $585,473,166, or 204 per cent. It is also shown that taxpayers paid to the New Ha- ven county towns $14,671,40 in current porperty taxes during a twelve-month period ended in 1880, as compared with payments totaling $12,579,140 in 1926. This is an increase of $2,092,2 ,262, or about IT per cent, in four years in actual cash paid because of local property taxes levied. New Ha- ven county, it is observed, has Z.D state; 28S per cent of the pop uiation; 27.7 per cent of the grand list, and collects 26.3 per cent of all the current property taxes col lected by the 16 towns of the state.
 In connection with the work of the assessors, Commissioner Blod- gett said, "The tax departments interest, in so far as grand lists are concerned, lies in reasonable compliance with the statutes which require that all property be set in the list at fair market value. Greater emphasis, however, Is ana has always been placed on equali- zation work. The design of the state is to urge local officials to see to it above all that all proper ties are set in the list in such a manner as to distribute the tax load fairly and equitably among the taxpayers in every town"
 The town of Hamden shows the of all the New Haven county towns. It increased from $4.O46.- 126 in 1910 to $41,538,974 in 1880, or 927 per cent. East Haven grem from $1,604,1O3 to $14,914,- 12G, or $50 per cent, in the same period. In orther towns. increases of considerable size between 1910 and 1880 are noted as follows: Madison, from $1.451,607 to $S,- 033,738, or 421 per cent; Milford, from $5,255,O39 to $31,113,269. 493 per cent; Middlebury. from $618,765 to $3,13O,605, 4O6 per cent; Cheshire. from $1,565,211 to $7.333,871. 388 per cent; Guilford. from $1,434,3S9 to $6,677,471, 366 per cent; Beacon Falls, from $494.- 651 to $1,743,941, 252 per cent; Wnllingford. from $S,532,297 to $23.338,285, 232 per cent.
 New Haven showed an increase from $126,804,456 to $338,040,530. or 167 per cent; Waterbury grew from s63.654.O11 to $171.761,s6o or 170 per cent; Meriden. from s22,224,157 to $62,527,65O. or 181 per cent; Ansonia, from $10,246,- 977 to $24,528,O58. or 139 per cent: and Derby, from $6,217,442 to $15,426,S51. or 148 per cent.
 Tn 1910, 1t is seen that the New Haven county assessments of s2S6.429,271 comprised 32.3 per cent of the state total of $S87,747,- 056. In 1920, the county increased it's assessments 9S.1 per cent over 1910. while the grand list for ali counties grew at the rate of 11S per cent. The 1920 county total of $567,519,222, however. com total of $1,935,355,236. Between 1920 and 1890, while the state grand list grew 62.7 per cent, the county increased 53.6 per cent, and comprised 27.7 per cent of the new state total of $3,149,273,092.
 Collection records show that the property tax collectors of the twenty-seven towns collected 91.2 per cent of current taxes due in twelve-month ended in 1880, while the average for all towns in the state was 92.2 per cent. The total collected in the county was $14.- 671,402. This record is an inn provement over four years ago when the county collectors gath cred in $12.579,140, or S9.8 per cent. while the average for all towns at that time was 90.7 per cent.
 Although the county has a num- Der of towns with collection rec ords above the average for the state, 1t also has a number whose records for efficiency in this re- gard are considerably below aver age.
 Towns having. by April 1, 1880, collection records, on the current rate bill of property taxes coming due during the twelvemonth per- iod ended .on March 31, 1880, higher than the state average of 92.2 per cent are: Derby. 100 per cent, where 1t is the custom to require the collector to be person. ally responsible for 100 per cent collections; Ansonia. 98.9 per cent; Beacon Falls. 97.9 per cent; Gull ford, 94.1 per cent; Hamden, 93.3 per cent; Meriden, 96.1 per cent; Naugatuck. 95.2 per cent: Sey- mour. 95.8 per cent: Wallingford. 95.8 per cent; Waterbury, 93.5 per cent; Woodbridge, 94.S per cent.
 Oxford collected 77.9 per cent and Branford 78.4 per cent of cur rent property taxes during the