The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-08-03
BE FAIR BROTHER

The Amboy Herald referring to the
assessment matter in this city, is not
disposed to treat the matter fairly,
and misrepresents the entire matter
All the people of this city want is SIM
pie Justice The Herald says that
1.-the fault lies with the assessor who
lowered the city's valuation nearly
half million dollars and the county
board won't stand it. The Herald
then says that Mankato is depreciat-
ing and admits it when she wants her
assessed valuation reduced. Again it
says: 'The sum and substance of it
all is that Mankato creates the most
expense for the county and wants to
pay the least - AS we stated at the
start the Herald is not disposed to
treat the matter fairly as these quota
tions indicate. In the first place the
fault was not with the assessor. He
did his work well. The Free Press
does not believe that Mankato ever had
fairer assessment. The only criti-
CT SIN that could be possibly made of it
is that although cut down about half
a million, it was then left high as
compared with the country assess
ment. Mr.. Fowler spent all winter in
looking up city values and did his
work in painstaking manner. He
found that the assessed value of Man
kato real estate as compared with as
sessed value of the balance of the
county, was much too high, or else the
county was much too low.
Now this reduction does not signify
in the least that Mankato property has
deprecated. The average assessed
value of farm lands of the county is
a fraction over $12 and the Malpeton
Enterprise last week stated that Blue
Earth county farmers surely could not
object to that Now will the Herald
aver that $12 is two-thirds or even
one third the average value of some of
the best farms of Blue Earth county?
And will it give plain, common
sense, legitimate reason why farm
that will sell at from $50 to $50 per
acre, should be assessed at from only
$12 to $15 per acre, while a lot in
Mankato worth 81, 600 is assessed at
from $500 to $700? Or one worth So, 900
to be assessed as high as 81, 500?
Will the Herald also please answer
why a house that costs from So, 900 to
81, 900 should be assessed at from ST.,
900 to So, 400 in the city and at about
$40 in the country? And so on. Does
it think such assessed valuations
equitable? Is that it's idea of justice?
Before it goes to yelling s'hog'' will
it answer these questions on its ideas
of justice?
Mankato property is not depreciat-
ing. That is not the reason that Man
kato business men and tax payers are
taking a move in the matter. All
they want is justice. An injustice has
grown up here, because proper atten-
tion has not been paid to the matter in
the past. Mankato is willing to pay
her portion and more, but does not
relish the idea of having it tucked on
two or three times.
Neither is it true that Mankato
creates most of the expense and wants
to pay the least. The actual fact is,
the city pays out more than it gets
back, but does not complain as to that.
Take it in the matter of the road and
bridge tax. The city pays it's portion
on high assessment. but it gets
nothing back. 1t asks for nothing for
it's streets, but it has asked for sums
on roads leading out in the country
where often as much more is added by
the city, but the board has refused to
make any appropriation.
All the city asks is fairness and JUS
tice in it's assessments. Will the Her
aid take position that is fair?