The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-10
Aid Of Independent
Trained Personnel
For Job Advocated
State Tax Commissioner Claim Card IndiCes in Asses
sOrs' ONCE Not Kept Up Tax Maps Showing Dor.
Ough Property Incomplete, Safeguards Lacking
NAUGATUcK


SCISSORS once have not been kept up,
tax maps showing borough property
were not sufiiciently complete and
temporarily &C least adequate safe
guards were lacking for keeping as
SCISSORS records.
The report listed Mr.. walsh's
findings In a survey undertaken
after Rep. william Painter and Bur-
CESS J. Rudolph Anderson had last
summer filed seven charges In con-
nection with the assessors ONCE.
The situation under which records
were not adequately protected has
been corrected, Mr.. Walsh states,
and he situations covered under sew
eral other charges have also been
altered.
Mr.. Walsh recommends prop
erty revaluation be made, "as soon
IS practicable" with the aid of In
dependent, trained personnel.
However, his findings shows legal
~ the borough does not have to
make such a revaluation until 1850.
This comes as a surprise here, for
it had been thought the state law
required revaluation be made once
within q l0-year period.
Commissioner Walshe complete
report follows:
On August ~, l94S, a formal
complaint was lodged with the
State Tax Commissioner by Hon.
orable william A. Painter, Repre-
sentative in the General Assembly
from the Borough Of Naugatuck,
concerning the office Of the asses
sors Of the consolidated town and
borough Of Naugatuck Mr.. j. Ru-
dolph Anderson, member Of the
Board Of Warden and Burgesses,
Joined with Mr.. Painter in making
the formal complaint.
Appropriate provisions OF Section
1893 of the General Statutes of 1880
grant authority to the Tax Commits
sionar to examine into charges
which are filed in his ONCE, as in
the instant case. Accordingly, an
investigation Of the Assessors once
of the Borough of Naugatuck. rela-
tive to the charges preferred, was
made by the Tax Commissioner
and members Of his staff. The find-
ingS, as result Of such examina-
ton, are subsequently set out with
comments made respecting each
separate charge Of the formal CON-
plant.
Appointment Of q full time Sen
Tor Assessor should have been made
according to charter requirements
by the middle Of June, and to date
none has been named.
Finding
The facts found substantiate the
first charge Of the complaint. Pur-
Suant to Section 20 Of the Charter
Of the Borough Of Naugatuck. 1t is
Incumbent upon the Warden and
Burgesses to appoint an Assessor.
annually, before the 18th day Of
June. At the date OF the complaint
such assessor had not been appoint
ed. as required. This deficiency was
later remedied In that on August %
1913, at a Special Meeting OF the
Warden and BurgesSes, Mr.. Luke
Comiskey was appointed Senior As
SCISSOR Of the Borough for a term
Of two CD years.
Therefore, this charge requires no
further comment.
Charge 2
No revaluation has been made In
Naugatuck since 1881.
Finding
The records of the Assessors
ONCE disclose the last complete re-
valuation Of properties in the Bor-
ough OF Naugatuck was made in
193l-1932.
Section ll42 of the General
Statutes which embodies the statu-
tory requirement for revaluation
reads as follows:
The assessors of all towns. con-
soltdated towns and cities and con-
soldiated towns and boroughs, I'M
less otherwise provided, shall, dur
ing each period of ten years after
February !, 1890, view all Of the
real estate Of their respective NUM-
cipaHtieS. and shall revalue the
same for assessment, and in the
performance OF these duties at least
two Of the assessors shall act TO-
Eether, and all valuations shall be
separately approved by majority
Of the assessors"
From the investigation that was
made Of the Assessors ONCE, It is
clearly apparent, however, that the
Borough is presently in need OF an
other retaliation, as soon as prac-
ticable. Confederation Of this fact Is
found in the attempt during the
last Session Of the Legislature on
the part of the Borough to have
enacted a Special Act permitting
Naugatuck to do away with the
tiling Of assessment lists by tax
payers where their property had
been previously listed. This attempt
was turned down by the Finance
Committee OF the General Assembly
because the committee felt that the
records and valuations of the Dor.
ough property were not in such
condition SO as to permit the aboli-
lion Of filing such assessment lists.
which view was shared by q number
u the Borough officials. That the
honorable Leo j. Brophy, Warden,
was conscious Of this condition was
borne out by an examination Of
correspondence In his office, evi-
fencing his attempts during March
pf 1913 to obtain an estimate on
the most OF q revaluation from O
urn Of appraisers engaged in that
type Of work. The correspondence
further discloses that the Warden
was informed because Of the pres
ent labor shortage, together with
The prohibitive cost involved at this
time, and the uncertainty as to
when such task would be COM
.pleted, 1t was recommended that a
general revaluation be postponed
until after the war.
Charge 3
= The card iudices which were