1940-03-18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SELECTMENtS MEETING ' MARCH 180 1940 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Buildigg, at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Giroux, Messrs. Potter, Locke and Sarano were present. The Clerk was also present. Mr. Morse appeared before the Board relative to Welfare matters at 7;30 P.M. At 8:11 P.M., the Appropriation Committee and the Board of Assessors appeared before the Board. The Chairman said that the purpose of the meetift was to get an expression of opinion from the Assessors on the percentage of estimated receipts they would use this year in arriving at the tax rate. Chairman Steeves of the Board of Assessors said that his Board had not taken any action on the matter as yet. He said the Appropriation Committee had a figure of an es- timated tax rate but the Assessors did not know where they got it. Mr. Merriam said that the Appropriation Committee giguredd on 85% of the 1939 receipts. The Chairman said he thought it very unfair for the Selectmen and Appropriation Committee to ask the Assessors to use 100% of last yearts receipts. He said he took that position last year aha had not changed his opinion. He said it was not conservative and he believed it would be taking too much of a chance. He said he thought the farthest they should go would 'ge to 90,%. He hoped they would not go down to 80% as that would throw the figures all off. Mr. Merriam said the Appropriation Committee used a figure of $2660000. Accountant Russell said he simply took the Town receipts over which the Assessors have control and they figured $265,000. Mr. Merriam said that the Appropriation Committee knew that the tax rate was the Assessors' province, and they tried to explain that they simply figured on a rate because the town expects them to make some sort of a forecast and that is what they tried to do. . Mr. Steeves said they did not know what the tax rate was going to be because they did not know what the people were going to vote at the Town Meeting. He said they,did not know what the valuation was yet or what they were going to g -et on personal taxes. He said the Assessors had received a letter from Tax Commissioner Long stating that no Boards of Selectmen or Appropriation Committees could set the tax rate. The Chairman said that both Boards understood that the Selectmen and the Appropriation Committee had no right ' to set the tax rate. Mr. Steeves said the Assessors thought It rather foolish to set the tax rate at #30* this year as it will have to be.put right back again next year. He said there was no sense in putting off construction work as it had to be done some day. 107 Welfare Tax rate