Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-03-20
IN THE CITIES.
The Low Assessment of Personal Property
and Large Estates
now THE SAME RING WHICH CHEATS THE
TOWNS CHEATS SMALL PROPERTY OWN
Frs IN THE CITY.

In the tax controversy hitherto the
investigation has been confined prin-
cipally TO the direct causes for COM
pIaint on the part of the country
districts. This has been enough to
occupy the attention of the least
critically disposed. That there were
equal grievances 10 bc discovered IN
the city has been left for those in
terested in them to discover. 1t was
to be supposed that tine faint within
the heart of our cOuntry's system of
taxation was also causing putrefactiOn
there in its immediate neighbOrhOOd.
Such has shown itself to be the fact.
Much talk has been spent about
mortgages which are allowed to escape
the just burdens of the governments
support. But the abuse Is not half SO
immense as that of personal property
in the city. 1t should be borne
in mind that personal property Is
not cuualized. ] he realty assess
ment is dealt with entirely separately
by the Board of supervisors and the
personal assessment added afterwards.
it can therefore be readily seen that all
personal property not assessed is Il
clear gain 10 the owner and Is moi
liable 10 be equalized back upon him
by the hOjrd. 1t Is by this means that
the city of Port Huron has been es-
Gaping for years Il just share OF her
tax burden.
1akea, an instance the store keep
ers whose stock of goods would aver
age AT "a c.sh sale not less tnan SlU,ooV
nor more tnan SZJ,JVJ. 1t Is startling
fact that they are assessed but from
500 to SlJu on the stock. Merchants,
whose stocks run from - 900 to olO,Joo
are assessed at from SlJU to $40 by the
and of compa Ssionate supervisor.
Many averaging 81 900 TO $1,000 wholly
escape. his siate of affairs is to be
found by q review of the assessment
rolls oi ,ae NY of Port Huron. II has
permIteI tuc escape of fully y. per
cent of al goods, wares and merchan-
disc within the city, averaging not less
tnan 81, vu,UOU. therefore, If Port
Huron merchants were now paying
taxes on the same ba sis as the farmers
of the country OH their wheat, horses
and machinery, and the country mer.
chants on their stocks, the city would
contribute to the state and county
treasures the taxes on $1,000 100,
which are now shifted upon the rural
districts. We especially urge the peo-
pie 10 investigate this matter. Con-
sidering that Port Huron and the
other cities of the county were low
cred SJUJ,uOO below their own assess
ment last October, on the plea of her
unusually high assessment, the fact Is
worthy of consideration.
Again We would urge the small
property owners of Port Huron, the
men whose realty holdings come with
in 81 800 TO examine the assessment
rolls of the city and compare the value
at which business blocks and other
valuable city property are assessed
with the figures at which they are held.
1t Is an actual fact that not IL dollar $
worth of this most valuable property
held by rich owners, could be bought
| for five times its assessed valuation.
i hese sma il owners, who possess only
their home are well aware that no sucn
disparity exists between the actual and
assessed valuation of their hard
earned savings. They are COMPEL
ed TO pay taxes on the whole value of
their real estate while the rich property
owners do not pay on one-tifth of
| theirs. here can surely be not the
le' st of justice in this. 1t is II plain
robbIng of the poor man. 1t disregl rides
one Oi lhe principles OF taxation, tnai
OF equality. Corrupt assessment is the
basis of itall. The city at large is not
to blame that it is paying taxes on but
Sl07 100 more of real estate than ten
years ago, when it has really grown
fully fivo-f0ld. 1t is the work of a cor.
rupt ring within the city who use the
ONCE OF assessor for their own iinancia
advantage The facts seem to defy
contradiction. There has been II sys
tenn of bribery going on i'm the city fol
Years which has kept the assessments
of wealthy owners down TO the low iig
CURES at which they stand. AS the smu
owners in the cities revere their right
they shO lld v,rfy this assertion anC
in the coming election choose men tC
represea, them mBccordance with the
knOwle lge they possess.
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