St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-09-08
FOR LOWER TAXES
ASSESSED VALUE AND RATE OF
TAXATION IN FOUR LARGE
CITIES.
CERTAIN LEVIES OMITTED.
SPECIFIC CHARGES AGAINST
PROPERTY FOR SPECIAL LO-
CAL IMPROVEMENTS.
TWIN CITEES' TAXES HIGH,
When Compared With Those OF
the municipalities of Omaha
and Kansas City.
CERTAIN LEVIES OMITTED.


In the accompanying table, sched-
ule B, are shown the assessed value,
the rate of taxation, the amount of
tax and the amount collected for
licenses, water rents, ETC., as report
ed for one year, intending to show
by this total the amount that the
property owners and residents of
each city-St. Paul, Minneapolis,
Omaha and Kansas City-are called
upon to pay per year to conduct the
public business, including state,
county and city.
For st. Paul the assessed value
and tax rate is taken from the
Financial Statement of Ramsey
County," in which it appears
that the city is divided into
ten assessment districts, and
that the rate of taxation in what is
known as the old city districts mum
bered one to five inclusive) was fo1
city purposes 1875 mills on the dol
lar, while the new territory dis
was less, this new territory not be-
ing charged with any Of the bonds
issued prior to 1872, the rates being
for District No. 6, 1915 mills; Dis
tricts No. and 8, 1926 mills; Dis
t1ict No. s, 13.45 mills, and District
No. 10, Ills mills. 1 have therefore
called 13.43 mills an average rate, as
this, when taken as a ratio of the
total value, will produce sum
equal to the total tax charges
against the ten districts.
In arranging the figures, have
not included the ward levies as as
sessed in Minneapolis for local i'm
provements, or the district fund as
assessed in Omaha for the same pur-
pose, or the special frontage tax of
ten cents per foot charged against
all property in front of which water
pipes are laid in st. Paul, or the
s1Xty-five cents per foot charged in
Minneapolis on all property in front
OF which it is intended to lay new
water mains during the year. as
these items are in each case a spe-
cine charge against certain property
for special local improvements. and
bear the same relation to the general
tax levy as the special assessments
made by the board of public works
IN st. Paul, or the special tax bills
issued in payment for public work
in Kansas City.
The next arrangement shows q di-
vision of this total sum contributed
by the city as used to paw the ex-
penses of the city, state and county.
part of both state and county tax
coming back to the city as school
funds.
Next is an estimate of the com
mercial value Of the taxable prop
erty of each place. This estimate
is necessary because of the great
difference in opinion in each place
as to what proportion the assessed
value bears to the true value. this
variation being all the way from one
tenth to more than the full value
OF the property, depending some
Wnat upon the conditions under
which the opinion is formed. The
financial agent of a corporation try
ing TO Sell stock or bonds, the value
OF which is contingent upon the
growth and prosperity of the citv.
is very likely to think that the as.
sessment represents but a small pro-
portion of the true value, while the
owner OF a large amount of unim-
proved and unproductive real estate
IN bhe same city may think that the
property is assessed for more than
It is worth and demand a reduction
OF the assessment on that ground
and, while it can not be claimed
that the estimate here given is eb.
soIutely correct, an examination Of
the following tabulated statement
Will prove that the figures of the es.
innate are at least an approach tc
the truth.
This statement is intended to Show
I. 1. Inc assessed value.
a.. 4. Inc maximum and minimum ra
LOS which this assessed value is SIN
poseG 10 bear to the true value
.. Inc resultant amounts which NAV
pc SAD to represent the extrenoac ~
opln1on-the highest and lowest est.
mates-and estl-
a. The values as they are est;ma tod
LOT tne purpose of this GONNA ricor