Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-03-23
HONEST ASSESSMEN rs.
Some Timely and Pertinent Suggestions
Regarding Taxes.

iiO9oiOi'iSo totNN0f
Why is it that an assessor does not
try to give an honest assessment?
Why will they assess one piece of land
at 500 per acre and another piece ad-
joining and of equal value at $45 pei
acre? Why will they value one piece
Of property at S93 per acre and another
not as well located at $3.50 per acre:
Is it because they want to favor one
man, and make another man pay
double what they ought to?
There is no question before the citi-
zens of this country that is so far
reaching and of such great importance
as the tax question. and every voter,
who has any property to be taxed,
should be interested in having an
honest assessment made.
At this time, when the time of elect
ing an assessor is near at hand, the
taxpayers should look in to thewUrk of
their present assessor and see if he
has done his duty faithfully and i'm
partially or not. For if he should be
candidate for reelection and should
have been unfair in his assessing, every
voter should be put on his guard.
We give a few instances which, to
say the least, show lack of good
Judgment if not an actual and in
tended disregard of real values.
Df
in the First ward consists of 5 Clio
acres and has large fine house upon
it and is assessed at $4,000. This
property is on the west side of the
street and has an east front, the best
frontage that can be had. Now a
little farther up the river, and on the
east side of the street with a west
exposure, is another homestead, con-
tanning 6 acres, which is assessed at
$4,000. The buildings upon this place
are not worth nearly as much as those
upon the Canning property and as this
place is still further out of the city
why should it be assessed at a higher
value?
Across the street from the Canning
homestead is square D acre field,
belonging to Mr.. Canning, which is
assessed at $500, this has full 'front.'
age on the street. There is another
% acre lot, situated back from the
main streets and of an irregular shape,
cOrnering upon back street and run
ming down into the swamp, and this
place is assessed at $500. Where does
the assessor find as much value in land
back from all main streets as in that
which lies with a full frontage upon
main street?
T. j. Wood owns tract of land,
north of the Green Bay r. r. tracks,
consisting of "a 40 acres that is
assessed at $50 per acre. Adjoining
this tract on the north and being of
the same soil and comparative value
is another tract of % 70-1O0 acres
which is assessed at 800 per acre.
Scott and Martin own a tract of
10 9-10 acres on the west side of the
street just south of the Canning home
stead that has frontage on the street
that is assessed at about 1913 per acre.
Across the street is tract Of 4-10
acres having all the lots fronting on
the street sold off but four so that
most of tract lies back Of other
property, and the assessed value of
this lot is 5000. Now if some one can
explain why these lands belonging to
the different parties named above
should all be listed so much less than
the other tracts, which, by the way,
all belong to one man, they will con-
fer great favor on the public.
Is it because these men are favOriteS
with the assessor that their property
is valued for less? Or is it because
the assessor has a prejudice against
the owner of the other tracts?
In either case is any man who will
make such an assessment a fit man to
be elected assessor? Any man with
an ordinary amount of Judgment
should be able to assess property lying
side by side or near each other so that
there will be no such glaring inequal-
titles in his work as these instances
referred to.
1t is but just and right that the
people look into the public acts of
their public servants and find out if
they are doing their official duty as it
ought to be done or not.
'FAIR PLAY"