Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-04-17
DUNN TO THE ASSESSORS
He Urges Them to Let No
Guilty Property Escape
Assessment.

Assessment.
The state auditor has sent ont q
circular letter to the assessOrs stIf the
state. which calls attention to the
changes made by the last at te board
~ rqunliza ton. cites various sta.
u,r> by number. and adds some
snyge-tions. Among the sugxes-
ti,''- are the folio wing:
the burden uf a satisfactory Oper.
a,inn 1T the tax laws Of our state
rests largely with the assessor. Our
doc, riI.e is that every dollars worth
II taxable property should hear It's
just propo, ton Of the public expense.
II - therefore the duty Of every
property owner to list his holdings
with the assessor. In cases where
it ~ difficult to secure satisfactory
STATEMENTS. the law clothes the as
k"s or with ample powers to go, to
h" extreme T. necessary.
Do not let u dollars worth Ot
t"xable personal property escape.
Exercise due care and good judg-
lnei,t in fixing valuations.
Millions Ut dollars in money in this
state escape taxation entirely. In
1893 the National, State and Savings
banks contained So, 7O4, O49 due to
depIsitors. On Dec. 81, 1885, they
had $66, $40, 991. q large increase. In
1893 they were assessed $3.19S,S79 of
money other than bankers (item 81 }
ana III 1895 this item amounts to
only $2,75O,390. The assessors
should make every effort to secure a
fair proportion Of money for assess
ment. Less than $4,000, 900 listed for
taxation and probably seventy-f We
millions in banks is too large 4 dis
crepancy even after making all l,os-
sihle allowances for offsets. p1bllc
funds and funds otherwise taxed.
Land contracts aud bonds for
deeds, except those given by rail-
rOal companies, are credits. and
should be treated the same as mort
cages. The unpaid part of purchase
money, whether represented by u
mortgage or land contract, III tax
able.
Private bankers must deliver to
the assessor complete report of the
property as required by section 1881,
&. S. 1894. Shares OF STOCK in ma
tional or state banks are listed by
the officer III charge as required by
section 1882. T" reach a basis for
assessment the statement should
show: First, amount of capital
stock; second, amount of surplus;
third. amount of undivided profits
in excess of 10 per cent Of the capital
stock. From the total of these three
items deduct the actual value of
legally acquired real estate. The
remainder gives the basis for assess
ment. The attention OF assessors in
the larger cities is especially directed
to franchises, annuities, royalties,
etc, (class 14). From the returns it
would appear that very valuable
franchises or privileges escape taxa
ton. Do not fail to give at least
ten (l0) days. notice of the meeting
of the local board of review. That
is the proper place to correct erro-
neous and inequitable assessments.
To county auditors:
The following resolution was
adopted by the state board OF equal
ization at it's last meeting: RE
solved, that the state auditor be
requested to recommend. to the
auditors of the counties in the lum-
Der districts to direct the assessors
in said districts to confer together
for the purpose of obtaining a uni.
form assessment on logs and lumber
throughout the state" 1t was also
recommended that the assessment
for logs and lumber in the hands Of
manufacturer he made under class II.