Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-03-18
High Taxes.

We are glad to see that much in
terest is taken in the tax question,
and we hope that all the citizens will
take vigorous part in the discussion.
The tax payers are tired of high tax
es. There is no difference of opinion
in regard to high taxes, but there is a
difference of opinion as to how they
we're caused. Some citizens claim
that the principal cause of the high
taxes of 1884 was owing to the large
appropriations that were made by the
Common Council and Board of Edu-
cation. Others say it was caused by
the assessor who did not properly as
sess the mills, business places, lumber,
logs, cedar, etc. Some accuse the
Board Of Review of unrcasonably
reducing the assessors figures. Let
us give few figures:
From the proceedings of the Board
Of Supervisors of 1883 we find the
valuation of the real and personal
property of Alpena city to be s2,542,-
925. Now we are inclined to the be-
lieve that the assessment Of 1883 was
a fair and equable one, for the reason
that the assessor was elected by the
laboriDg men on direct issue in re-
gard to inequality of assessment.
In 1884 the proceedings of the
Board of Supervisors show the valua-
ton of the city, for real and person.
al, to be $2,353,655. The valuation
last year was therefore S1S9,270 less
than that of 1883. The decrease has
been accounted for in various ways.
Some state it was owing to decrease
made in the valuation of the proper
ty of mill men and in the assessed
valuation of business places. The
failure of the Prentiss Lumber Co. is
also said to have had something to
do with the decreased valuation.
There is another thing to be con-
sidered. Property was not worth as
much last year as it was in 1883.
Mills, logs, lumber, vessels, lots, cedar,
ETC., could not be sold for rs much as
they could the year before. The year
1883 was prosperous one. The year
1884 was one of hard times, depre-
ciated property value, low wages,
financial embarrassments and stagna-
ton of business. This may have had
something to do with the decrease.
The valuation of $2,353,652 for 1884
must have equaled the valuation Of
s2,542,925 for 1883 as regards the
purchasing power-that is, as much
land, logs, cedar, vessels, etc. could
be purchased, we believe, for $685.
655 in 1884, as could be purchased
with 2,542,925 in 1883.
If the valuation of 1883 was fair
and equable one, in general, then the
valuation of 1884 could not have
been far out of the way. In both
years there is ne doubt but that some
property was not fairly assessed, and
there always will be, as a perfectly
fair and equable assessment, in every
particular, will never be made
Every work of man has some defect
in it. The object in view, as regards
an assessor, is to get one who will
make the least mistakes.
The manner in which the assessment
was made in 1884 may have been the
means whereby some property owners
paid more than their share of the
taxes, but, in our opinion, it is not
the real cause of the high taxes that
were imposed on property owners,
and the reasons for our belief are MS
follows:
In 1888 the Common Council or
dered spread on the tax rolls for city,
highway. fire, police and school pur-
poses the sum of s3S,049.33. In 1884
tho Common Council ordered spread
upon the tax rolls for the same pur-
poses the sum of s56,947 .33. The
annual statement of the Council for
1883 showed the amount Of outstand-
s.. ardara 10 he &C h20 Q2 and fhA