The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-02
The SURE.IHING men
Assessors Are Out Fixing a Basis
For Taxation.
NOTICE SERVED ON THE WEALTHY
Rich Corporations and Individuals
Will Be Asked to Pay Their
Full Share.

Twenty one deputy city assessors
started yesterday on their annual task
of securing Valuations on which to base
assessment Of, the Minneapolis community
for 1908. City Assessor Fort and others
of his staff dre engaged IN making
a thorough investigation of the real es-
tate conditions in the city, preparatory TO
fixing the biennial real estate assessment.
Both tasks will be completed about
July 1, and the city board of equalization
will then review the work of the assessor
and amend wherever justice and equity
seem to call for it. g.
In connection with the work this year
City Assessor Fort desires to put before
the public few facts tending to give tax
payers a clearer idea Of the actual tax
situation in Minneapolis and also to i'm
press upon them the necessity of doing
their full duty in the matter of helping
bear the burden Of city taxation. He
speaks with special emphasis OF the duty
Of the well-to-d do and the rich corpora
tions. On this score he says:
Some of the wealthy companies and cor
porations deriving large business and great
profits from the people have not been paying
their proper proportion of the burden of tax
| alton. What they have evaded has been paid
by the real estate and the great majority OF
personal property taxpayers who nave been
| paying on proper valuation l want all
such interests to bear their full and just
| proportion OF, the valuation OF l9O2. 1t is
not my purpose or desire that the man who
has nothing shall be assessed for something,
| nor that the man who. has but little shall
| be assessed for much. But it is my purpose
that all wealthy individuals, companies and
corporations shall be, brought as nearly as
possible to bear their full, just and adequate
proportion of the taxes levied in this city.
Taxes Then and Now.
Mr. Fort. also gives; in this connection
! some timely information regarding the
valuations of pas years and the amount OF
the total tax. levied. y It is the general
impression in Minneapolis that taxes are
| higher to-day than ever before and grow
;. ing constantly higher. The facts as pre-
scented by Mr.. Fort show, on the contrary
that while the tax rate is almost one
| half greater than ten years ago, the ag-
gregate amount Of taxes levied is nc
| larger, indeed, is considerably less, thar
in 1892 The valuation that year, per
sonal and real estate, was $13S, 2S6,37O
: wear the total valuation was put SlO2,-
212,5o6 and the taxes, levied but $2,9Sl,
465 The highest valuation ever MADE
! was in 1893 when it reached the total Of
s140,624, 400. The tax rate that year was
but $21.64, yet the amount OF the Tax was
| SIS 900 more than, was 1eFled last y0ai
Taxes have actually increased each yea
since 1896, in the aggregate about nal
a million, but. at that were less than Inc
average for the four years from 1897 &c
1895. -.-.s-.r- 0 = s....,- -,
Mr., Fort recites the above facts tt
| show that there is no possible advahtag'
to the taxpayers to get a low aggregate
valuation, as that simply makes a nlsh1'
tax rate. g.: ~ , ord o
Regarding the present problem .befor'
the assessors, and the duty of the lndl
vidual citizens, he says:
It is possible to describe, locate and valu
I all the real estate of the city and no notle'
thereof: upon the owneri@is necessary hu
i while it is possible to locate and assess al
the real estate, the placing of equltao'e, rela
tive valuations upon it requires great car
"A and labor No assessor or board or asses
sorsz could place the values upon the nun
dreds of thousands of lots, blocks, acres an
i: buildings of this city with their widely" vary
| ing conditions, with absolute equity ana JUS
| tice. To do so as nearly as possible is III
effort which is being made this; year, as ha
, been made every two years N, the past III
, | nrocuring of assessments OF personal prov
, erty is subject to different conditions an
is attended with great difficulties, Calm
now for the services Of twenty one aoo
! tional deputies. The people themselves ca
Z facilitate or retard their work, ana renus
more or less satisfactory the results ootdlhe