The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-04-24
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.


planned of injustice in the action of the
county board in equalizing values for the
purpose OF taxation, and with some show
of reason. But the fanlt lies primarily
with the city board Of local equalization.
There is property in Manitowoc which is
virtually confiscated yearly by the enor-
nous taxes assessed upon it. There is
also property in the city which yields a
fair revenue to its possessors, which IS
taxed comparatively light. This Unequal
ity in taxation renders it burdensome
to the poor man, vino is usually not i'm
Fortunate in his demands for reduction
in the valuaaon put upon his property.
More than this, the unjust discrimination,
for such it is and such we will prove it
to be if persisted in by the coming board,
forces upon the city more than its just
proportion of the taxes of the county.
The members of the county board esti
mate the value of property in the city by
the value of the property in business
centers.
They estimate the real value of the
city by the following process The real
value of property in the city is to the
of business houses is to the assessed value
thereof Every person who is a resident
of the city h7lOaoS that in fact the above
is an inverse proportion. Place the
word 'inversely'' before ''as'' in the
above statement and it will express a
truth which the record will demonstrate
Can it occasion surprise that with the
data before the county board they per-
sist III expressing the city with valua
ton as a basis of taxation which is in
effect q confiscation Like all bodies
capable of reasoning, they judge the
unknown by the known. In this instance
they err because the premises furnished
them by our local board of equalization
through which they reach a conclusion.
are erroneous.
There are men in this city having good
title to property within the city, who
would willingly dispose Of the property
unincumbered, for the taxes assessed
against it any one year. Can there be a
Just system of equalization when such
things can be truthfully said If SO,
then the same thing is true of all prop
erty, and the city of Manitowoc yearly
pays taxes equal in amount to its value.
Can any one believe that this is so
Injustice can not creep in when rela.
tive valuation is properly observed, -
Equitable valuation is essential to a just
distribution of the expenses for which
property is taxed to defray. Though
piece of property is absolutely just in its
valuation, unless it be also comparatively
so with reference to the other property
constituting the unit which must bear a
certain imposed tax, the owner of the
property assessed at its real value is pre-
JUDGED.
An examination of the property now
being advertised for sale in THE Pilot
for unraid taxes, will show that nearly
all such property is located in the city.
There mast be some cause for it. tits
to be presumed that men, excluding
spectators, are equally able to pay taxes
on property--the light taxes levied on
the poor coming within their means as
the heavy taxes on the wealthy come
within their means. There is no good
reason why a man owning 500 cannot
pay a tax of one dollar upon those 500
as easily as a man owning $4,000 can
pay 500 taxes. But it is patent that he
is not as well able to pay so taxes, as
the other is to pay $50 on property 100
times as valuable. Those illustrations
are within the comprehension of the
weakest intellect.
The question OF equable equalization
will be leading one with the people,
from now until the regular session of the
county board. 1t will be we'll for those
having the matter in charge to see that
valuations are such that they will not be
overwhelmed with confusion by having
glaring discrepancies shown Sin the
record by some country member"
next fall.