INCREASED ASSESSMENT
In The Village Of Altamont Was Ordered By

The State Board Of Tax Commissioners.

VILLAGE OFFICIALS COULD DO NOTHING BUT COMPLY WITH ORDER —

TOWN ASSESSORS ALSO RECEIVED SAME ORDER FROM STATE BOARD.

The matter of the increased assessment in the Village of Altamont has been so misunderstood by some of our villagers that the editor of this paper, who at the time of the increase, was a member of the Board of Trustees and acting as Village Assessor, gladly gives space to the following communication which clearly states the FACTS in the matter and should stop all controversy:

Editor of The Altamont Enterprise

I desire to call attention through the columns of your paper to correspondence which I have had with the State Board of Tax Commissioners, as follows:

Altamont, N.Y., Mar. 3, 1915.

In publishing this correspondence I have in view the desire that every resident of Altamont may be placed in a position that each may know for himself the truth as regards the raising of the assessed valuation placed on our village property. The highest authority in the State tells us in substance.

First, That the Board of Trustees in 1913 followed the law under the direction of the State Board of Tax Commissioners.

Second, That raising the valuation in the village did not and could not affect in any way the amount of tax on any piece of property.

Third, That the town assessors of Guilderland were directed by the State Board to obey the law and raise the assessments in the town.

Fourth, That the action of our village Trustees had nothing whatever to do with any action taken by the Town assessors.

Now, Mr. Editor, and fellow citizens, I especially wish to call attention to a well known fact, i.e., that the amount of tax levied against our property is in no wise dependent upon the value placed on it by the assessors, but is based entirely upon the amount of money to be raised – an impartial appraisement of our estate does not change the apportionment as between owners.

In view of the letter from the State Board it is only fair to say that the arraignment of our village board in so far as this question is concerned, is without foundation and should not be given a place in our choice of village officers at the coming election.

Let us be fair minded.

J.B.B.

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THE VILLAGE INDEBTEDNESS

Not long since and at a public gathering I am told it was pictured that the village was groaning under the load of a terrible bonded indebtedness, and the question was asked, “What is gone, what is there to show for it?” And then the rich man shed crocodile tears when he was told what an awful burden these village bonds were to the poor man. Every citizen ought to know the facts about the village bonds, and I ask that they look with me briefly into the subject.

History.

Let us commence along in the years 1907, 1908, and 1909 — that was the time when public attention was called to the fact that the old reservoir, wooden pipeline and the whole water system was getting into an unsatisfactory condition and would not much longer supply the growing necessities of the village. I am told that public meetings were called and the subject was discussed, resulting in a petition being presented to the Board of Trustees asking for a special election to vote upon propositions bonding the village for the improvement and enlargement of the water system. The special election resulted in the village voting to issue $15,000 of water bonds, and this was in addition to the old bond amounting to $12,000, which was issued when the water system was first installed. The water debt thereby was made the sum of $27,000. All this was done by vote of the taxpayers and before any member of the present Board of Trustees or Board of Water Commissioners was in office. The water system was enlarged and improved in accordance with the vote of the special meeting.