Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-11-19
Mulcted Mineral Point.


members of the county board a year
ago as commission to view the
property Of the county, and decide
what is an equitable adjustment of
assessment between the towns, is
that the salaries and expenses of said
commission are saddled upon Min
eral Point city. By their report the
commission said that this city should
be sharply raised in her assessment
by the county board, and it was done,
and the people of this city are called
upon to pay proportionately about
5000 more than heretofore of state
and county taxes, while other towns
of thecounty pay that much less.
The commission claims, in brief,
to have ascertained the ratio of
assessed value in the several towns
and cities as determined by local
assessors, and by multiplying the
sums SO dsosrtained by three or two
and one half, according to ratio Of
assessment given by assessors, thus
to have arrived ut the true value of
the property Of each town and city.
The Dodgeville assessor, for instance,
claimed to have assessed that city
at 40 per cent. of its cash value, ag-
gregating, for real estate, 1924 ,23200.
This sum the commission multiplied
by 2le and found full value to be
$660,5SJ. The assessor of Mineral
Point city stated that he had assessed
on basis of one-third value, ag-
gregating, for real estate, $37l,l2oO0
This the commission multiplied by
three, and found the full cash value
of the city's real estate to be $l,ll3,-
$4,000. 1t does not appear that the
commission produced any evidence
that the local assessors had exercised
good Judgment in determining what
was 10 per cent. or 33la per cent of
actual values. If the Dodgeville
assessor erred, and thought his
assessment to be 40 per cent. of full
value when it was in fact but one
third, and Mineral Point assessor
erred, and hissassessment was 40 per
cent. instead of one-third of full
value, it was the duty of the COM
mission and the board to learn that
fact aud remedy the errors. Other
wise the assessment rests wholly
upon the judgment and honesty Of
local assessors, as heretofore, and the
commissioners work was valueless,
and their expense for naught.
Presuming not to question that
Dodgeyille's assessment, and that OF
other towns, is on the ratios claimed
by assessors, we confidently assert,
and it can be easily proved, that the
real estate Of this city is assessed by
the local assessor at more than one
third value, nearer 40 per cent. II not
fully that high. Many instances can
be cited of property in this city
assessed at nearly so per cent, Of
| highest estimated value, and some
even higher still, while it is rare
indeed that piece Of property can
be found that will sell for three times
the value put upon it by the local
assessor. The commission and the
county board seemed not to have
considered that present selling value
Of property in this city is much
lower than at times in the past, and
to have ignored the fact that selling
value is the only just and legal basis
of assessment.
In alfiXing the assessment of the
personal property Of the city, the
commissioners and the county board
seemed to have followed no better
rule than they applied to real estate
but as the bulk Of the injustice must
be borne bg the real estate, the mat.
ter of personal property demand;
less attention. We may, however
/ illustrate it later.