The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-22

The county board Of abatement yester-
day hit the state board of abatement by
! the adoption of a resolution denouncing
| as unjust, arbitrary and importing the in
terests of ST. Paul the action of the latter
body in refusing to countenance certain
attachments made by the county board.
The text of the resolution. which was in
troduced by Assemblyman Benson, and a
copy of which was ordered sent to the
state auditor. is as follows:
Whereas, Those officials of the county
of Ramsey and the city of st. Paul in
whom by law is vested the authority and
upon whom is imposed the duty of as
seSsihg the taxable real and personal
property situate within the borders OF
said city and county and of completing
the levy thereon of such an annual tax
as may be necessary and essential to the
maintenance of the city, county and state
governments, did heretofore duly de-
termine upon the assessed valuation or
the said real and personal property stu
ate within the limits of the said city and
county for the purpose of taxation. as
aforesaid and have further heretofore
levied such customary annual tax Tor the
purposes aforesaid, and
Whereas, In determining the assessed
valuation of taxable property, as herein
above recited, the inaccuracies. and dis
crepancies heretofore existing, by reason
city of St. Paul has heretofore borne
much more than its just and proportion
ate share of the expense of state and
county government administration were
avoided and corrected, and the said as
sessed valuation of taxable property with
in the limits Of said city was fixed and
determined upon at an amount such that
it would be compelled to respond equifa.
bly,, justly and proportionately toward
state and county governmental expense
and not otherwise and
Whereas, That state authorities, in ap-
parently open disregard of the honestly
directed efforts of the local officials subse-
quently to ,equalize and abate Individual
and particular instances of inequality OF
assessment and to impose upon what may
be termed the industrial and mercantile
interest what should be the proper, just
and equitable share of the expenses of the
general government and no more, have
! arbitrarily altered and increased, in eff
| feet, the burden of taxation to be borne
| by the industrial, mercantile and buSl-
| ness interests Of the city of st. Paul, to
an extent that will grievously and seri-
ouSly impede the success Of those inter-
ests, and will result in contribution of
| them to the public treasury much in ex-
cess Of that which equity and justice and
| fair dealing would require, and
| Whereas, The said state authorities are
| pursuing a course indicative of well
! defined purpose to impose an unequal, an
! unfair and grossly excessive tax rate
| upon property owned and held by the citi-
zens Of st. Paul and to relieve other coun-
| ties and localities of the state of Mime
| sofa Of their fair and proportionate share
| of their burdens of governmental charges,
in that they continuously and uniformly
refuse to concur in the just abatement
| and equitable. adjustment of excessive
taxes as they occur in individual in
stances, such as to amount to tyrannical
exercise of the power to compel contribu-
| ton by taxation.
| Therefore, be 1T resolved, by the board
| of abatement for the city of ST. Paul and
4 f1r of cary q
action of the state authorities above re-
| cited as improper from the point of view
| of discretion, unjust so far as the equity
| of existing conditions is concerned, and
| unauthorized by an honest regard for the
intent of the laws relating thereto, and
Ffer the foregoing reason we earnestly but
respectfully protest against the course. OF
action pursued by the state authorities
| both on behalf of. those of Our citizens,
| whom we are persuaded are thus being
/ compelled to respond to an unfair dfspro-
| portionate and unjust rate of taxation,
/ and on behalf of those local officials
/ whose honest effort at the performance of
! the duties upon them imposed by law are
| thus effectively thwarted.
The session yesterday practically COM
pleted the work of the board in equalizing
personal property taxes, although appllca-
/ lions may be- filed until Feb g. and the
| board will meet again next Monday. The
special committee to which applications
! had been referred reported in favor or al
| lowing about eighty of the 200 claims UNI
| der consideration and the report was
I adopted. without protest. The assess
ments as corrected must go before the
state auditor, who has the option of either
| accepting or rejecting the suggestions OF
| the board.
showing the original assessment and the
abated assessment, as follows: