Opinion of the Court

To the House of Representatives : —

The undersigned respectfully comply with your resolution requesting our opinion on the question, whether the law authorizing towns to exempt manufacturing property from taxation is a violation of the bill of rights.

Towns may by vote exempt from taxation, for a term not exceeding ten years, any establishment therein, or proposed to be erected or put in operation therein, and the capital used in operating the same, for the manufacture of fabrics of cotton, wool, wood, iron, or any other material; and such vote shall be a contract binding for the term specified…