The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-01-22
THE DOINGS OF THE COUNTY
BOARD.
To THE EDITOR OF THE PILOT:

Our criticisms upon the doings of the
county beard are drawing to a close.
They were commenced with malice to
ward none and with charity for all, and
in such spirit viii they end. We be.
lieve our Unpreteading discussion of this
topic has accomplished some good. The
humble taxpayer secured, at least, q
glimpse OF the hydra headed and one
sided tag machine which annually grinds
HIM II the dust. In every town and
ward OF the county, the man of humble
means Is the most thoroughly taxed. His
almost valueless real estate, his solitary
COW, his lone pig, his ricketty wagon and
more ricketty horse are all entered upon
the assessment roll at figures fully up to
or far beyond their true value. Nothing
which he owns escapes the Argus eyed
assessor. He may be the possessor of q
reaper for which he has not paid q cent
in cash, but in lieu thereof has given a
note for $40 more than its cash vaiue-a
note which draws ten per cent. annual in
terest on the amount of its face. jus
tice would demand the taxation of the
note and the exemption of the reaper,
but the opposite course is generally pur-
sued. A heavy tax must be paid upon
the reaper by its unfortunate possessor
who IS also doomed to pay the highest
rate OF interest upon its purchase price.
The note is held by same ''bloated bond
holder" or plethoric banker at the coun-
ty seat, who is usually ''sharp" enough,
or powerful enough to escape, not only
his just tax upon this particular note, but
upon every other species of taxable prop
erty which he possesses.
Whe wealthy farmer, too, almost in
variably escapes his just proportion of
the taxes. If he has thirty head of neat
cattle, only about thirteen are entered
upon the roll; if he possesses eight
sheep, only about one-fourth of that
number are noticed by the kind assessor,
and if he owns half dozen well fed,
symmetrical Norman or other valuable
horses, they are assessed at smaller fig
ures than the old 'shacks" of his poverty
stricken neighbor. His carriages, wagons
and sleighs are taken at about 1-45 of
their true value, while his gold watch.
his costly melodeon or piano, his notes
and mortgages representing thousands,
are not assessed at all These notes and
mortgages which usually bear ten per
cent interest are generally given by his
poor neighbor who wishes to raise suffi-
Gent money to purchase g COW, a span of
old 'plugs," some farming utensils or
other things without which he cannot
get along. OF course these articles
when they come into his possession are
taxed, aye and outrageously taxed. 1t
makes no difference whether the pos $685.
or is paying ten per cent. upon the pur-
chase price or not; the little property he
holds is entered upon the roll at cash
figures, while his rich neighbor laughs to
himself at the manner in which the "au-
thorities" handle the matter and fervent-
ly thanks God that he resides in q local.
ty where the poor are doomed to pay the
taxes TINT in justice should be paid by
the rich.
Can the county board remedy this de-
plorable state CT affairs? We answer no.
That body meets in November for the
purpose among many others of eaualiz-
ing the assessment. They see at a glance
that the most outrageous injustice las
been done by the assessors and boards
OF review. They discover that the ag-
Gregate value OF taxable property in some
towns and cities is not more than one
third OF what it ought to be. They get
mad and "raise' the value to where they
think it should be placed. Now, what
is the result2 The poor man of said town
or city, who by the action of the local
authorities is already made to pay far
more than his just proportion of the
taxes, is compelled to ''shell OUT again
in order to meet this demand of the coun-
ty board, while his wealthy neighbor,
well knowing that the county authorities
can not increase the value of an individ-
uals property, still laughs in his sleeve
and still thanks the Lord that he resides
in locality in which the poor are COM
PEELED to pay large proportion of his
just and equitable taxes.
We say again that we hope our dis
cussion of this subject has done and will
do some good. We say again, that in
the discussion we had no i'll feeling to-
ward any one, no personal ak to grind.
We say that the members of the county
board are public servants and as such
their official acts are open to criticism.
We say, and emphatically say, that they
have done many acts which the tax-pay-
ers sincerely believe they should not
have done. We say that their assess
ment committee as now constituted
should be abolished; that instead of be-
ing composed of seven members it ought
to consist of three, only. We say that
the county board should allow no more
than legal fees to any and all applicants.
We say that in this year of grace, 1880,
it is high time to cease the practice of
making presents of the peoples money
to the sheriff or s'any other man." We
say that the county board should endeav-
or to act fairly toward every town and
ward in the county, and not favor one at
the expense of another. We say that the
people of every town and precinct of the
county should jealousy watch the action
of their assessors and boards of review.
We say that these officers should be
compelled to perform their duties in ac-
cordance with their most solemn oaths;
that thew ShoulH he r1ermitted no Ionnar