The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-13
Redwood Falls, Aug. 10th, 1874.

Mr. EDIroR:-Believing that the
action Of the Board Of County Com
missioners in levyiug tax of . certain
number of Mills on the dollar valuation
at their late Session may result in ,
general public injury, and, further
believing it to be contrary to law, and
premature, I would call your, theil
and the peoples attention to it.
First let me quote a Section or twt
of the tax law. Sec. So. The County
Auditor and the County Commission
ers, or a majority Of them, shall form
a County Board for the equalization
of the assessment Of real and personal
property in their County. They shall
meet on the 4th Monday in July, an.
nually, At the Office Of the County
Auditor, aud continue in session du'
ring the week, if necessary for the
purpose.
Sec. 76. The County Commission.
ers shall, at their July session, annual
II determine the amount to be raised
for ordinary County purposes, for the
support Of the poor and for the inter.
est and principle Of the County debt.
Sec. 72. Provides for State board
of equalization and that they shall
meet on the 1st Monday Of September
1874 and every second year. thereafter
to equalize the value Of the real prop.
erty of the Several Counties in the
State: and that they shall meet on the
LIST Monday of September, annually,
to equalize the personal property Of the
Several Counties. Sec. %. When
the State Board completes the equali.
zation of the real and personal proper.
ty of the Several Counties the Auditor
Of State shall transmit to each County
Auditor Statement of the per cen.
tum to be added to or deducted from
the valuation of the real or personal
property Of his County. Sec. "a. All
rates for taxes hereinafter provided for,
shall be extended by the County Aud
itor on the assessed valuation Of prop.
erty as equalized and assessed BY the
State Board of Equalization.
Now let US reason together and see
whether my statement is correct We
we'll suppose that the commissioners
meet asprovided in Sec. 60. and equ-
alike the assessment: and as provided
in Sec. 76. determine the amount to
be raised, for ordinary County purposes,
Say $4,000; for the support Of the poor,
say $500; and for interest and princi-
ciple on the public debt, say $500.
The several amounts thus stated ap-
pearing on the records Of the proceed
ings The County Auditor their pro-
ceeds, as provided in Sec. II. trans
mits, on or before the first Monday Of
August to the Auditor of State an ab-
stract of the real and personal proper
ty, which the State Auditor lays be-
fore the State Board Of Eq ualization,
and they, proceeding under Sec. u.
either add or deduct from the aggre-
gate valuation of the real or personal
property of every County such per GEN.
tum as will bring the Same to their
true and full valuation in money.
After completing their Equalization
the State Auditor, under Sec. 73.
transmits to each County Auditor a
statement of the per eentum to be add
ed or deducted from the Valuation of
the real or personal property in his
County. The County Auditor can
then proceed under Sec. "a. to levy
Just so many mills on the dollar as will
produce the amount the Commissioners
have determined to raise.
Proceeding thus under the law it
makes no difference to the people wheth-
er the State Board either lower or in.
crease the valuation. They pay into
the County treasury just 80 many doll
ars, and no more than the Commission
ers intended. Now let Us look on the
other side of the question.
The Board of County Commission
ers met on the 4th Monday of July as
provided in Sec. 60. and equalized the
assessment, and not as provided in Sec.
"a. (psblished proceedings) levied say
a Nine Mill tax. Now suppose the
State Board of Equalization should re-
duce the assessment one half what
would be the result? Having levied q
tax of Nine Mills under See. "a. it
would produce just one half the amout
they intended to raise.
On the other hand, if the State Board
of Equalization should increase the
assessment one half, they having levied
. Nine Mill tax, it would produce
just double the amount required,
thereby burthening the people with
an unnecessary aad unjust tax.
One more illustration. Suppose
that the Board, proceeded according
to law and fixed the valuation of Mr..
Cooks and Mr.. Ruter's Mills at $4,000.
each. Then under = Nine Mill tax
they would pay $27.0O each. But the
tax being levied before the equalization
by the State Board they have forestall-
ed themselves, because the State Board,
knowing that heretofore it has been
the practice to assess property at about
half its value, and under the new law
some Counties may assess at the full
value, may increase the valuation one
halt. Then each would have to pay
Sj4. 90 which be double the amount
The Commissioners intended to raise.
And SO Of all the property in the
County and the people would have to
pay tax Of $40, 900 instead Of S., 600
the amount needed.
If l am correct Oh ye County "Dads"
who have been your advisers?
v.
MORNING STAR GRANGE, of Rice
county, have contribute $500 for the
relief of the grasshoppers Suffers.