The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-10

or live stock or bank stock, that all prop
erty be given its full value and subjected
to an uniform rate.
One of the potent causes for the con-
cealment from the assessor of money and
other classes of highly valuable personal
property, is the fact that whenever listed
it is commonly valued by higher stand
ard than that applied to other classes of
property.
The sentiment is no doubt shared by
most of our wealthier citizens that they
would be willing to list all their prop
erty if satisfied that all others would do
the same and that no class or person wa.
to be Disseminated against.
The effect of full listing at full value
Of all the personal property in the state,
subject to taxation, would result in two
things: 1t would relieve the oyerburdened
and press more heavily upon the under
SurdeneA. IT. would, in short, equally
distribute the burden.
the late will decrease as the volume and
the rate vii decrease as the volume and
valuation Of assessed property increases
and vice versa. Increased taxes will
happen only to those who have not paid
their proper proportion of the public rev.
enues.
These seli-evident propositions would
not have been stated but for the fear that
misarDrehGnsicn may exist in some quar-
ters as TO the effect of putting in force
the constitutional rule.
! In this connection it is proper to repeat
| what has been elsewhere stated, that it
| is one of the purposes of the bill to vastly
i increase the volume of assessed personal
| property. That this may be effected by
proper enforcement Of its provisions, the
commission is greatly confident. It should
| be increased many fold, for the amount Of
| such property now upon the tax. lists is
/ but fraction of what may and should be
listed. With anything like fair listing
| + no ma n
sessed property throughout the state
would be SO greatly increased as to have
a marked effect in reducing rates of tax
l alton, both state and local.
1t should not be overlooked that the
great burden of taxation is for local rev.
enue. 1t is highest in municipalities
where expenses for schools, police and fire
protection, the Improvement OF streets.
and other purposes, are heavy. The
amount Of taxes paid for state purposes
by the farmer or other citizen whose prop
erty is situated in the rural districts is
so slight as to be scarcely felt.
Undoubtedly the small taxpayer, wheth-
ed the owner of farm or town property,
is now paying more than his Just proper
ton of taxes. 1t is the larger estates,
consisting in great measure of personal
; property, whether tangible or Intangible,
which are most benefited by the present
methods of assessment Applying the
property to be taxed at it's fair value in
money, the result will be that greater
degree Of justice will characterize the ad-
ministration of our revnue laws.
But whatever may be said for or against
/ the rule of assessment above advocated no
. discretion rests in either the legislature
or the commission. The mandate of the
constitution is clear and explicit in re-
quiring the application of that rule and no
other. Indeed, any statute enacted by the
legislature which prescribed different
rule would be clearly invalid and the
action of any officer in departing from
that rule in the assessment of property
would be a gross violation Of the consti-
tuition
CHANGE OF TIME OF ASSESSMENT OF
REAL PROPERTY.
The present law requires the assess
ment of real property to be made bien-
nially, and such has always been the pol
icy of this state. The bill, however, in
creases the inter- assessment period to
! four years.
The entire history of assessments in
this state demonstrates that SO far as
lpractical results have been attained, the
state has been the gamer if the assess
, ment of real property had been made
every tenth year. The showing made in
the earlier part of this chapter fully. jus
titles the proposition
For all practical purposes, an assess
ment once in four years is more wise thar
as now required. In the older counties
where the agricultural interests are highly
T developed values of real property have
already reached so high limit that
| neither rapid nor great advances can rea-
sonably be expected between assessment
years. In some Of the newer counties, the
contrary will doubtless prove true, es-
{ pecially in localities, for a few years In
: the immediate future; but, even in such
cases. the aggregate of advanced valua-
lions will not be so marked as to prove
seriously prejudicial to the older sections
| because Of assessments made less ire
quently than at present. The expenses OF
real estate assessment throughout the
| state is so great, as to quite counterbal-
ance the benefits of biennial assessments.
There are circumstances reasonably to be
expected which will powerfully influence
values. Such are the plating of 80
lions to towns, the destruction OF build
ings, the discovery, development or eX-
{ haustion Of miles They present cogent
reasons for extra assessments, and tn;
/ bill accordingly makes provisions for
, them.
The commission has been mindful that
, the legislature contemplates the enact
nient of tax code which so far as prac-
{ ticable constitutes permanent system OF
legislation The wisdom Of the policy
of addressing real property once in two OF
I four years, Is therefore. to be deter
mined with reference to fixed and per-
manent rather than temporary institu-
$ tion.
The conditions which have recently
1 caused general activity in the real estate
market, with the rapid advance in prices
) in that class of property in our own state.
are temporary. Lands in certain portions
, of the northern half Of the state were for
: years abnormally low. In few years
| their value will have risen to their nor
, NAL level and thenceforth will rise by 9
more gradual process. They will advance
with the general development of the re-
, spective regions in which they are stu
ated and thus repeat the history OF the
8 older counties Assessments in more
than one-half Of the counties Of the state
: might with little if any injustice be made
as in Ohio, once in ten years.
The question Of changing the time OF
real estate assessment as indicated In the
bill was fully discussed at the meetings
held by the commission in the several
counties elsewhere referred to. and. the
proposed change received the hearty en-
dorsemnt of county officers and taxpay-
: ers.
> MAILING ERSONAL PROPERTY
, STATEMENTS TO TAXPAYERS.
I The Importance of giving early publicity
| to the assessments of personal property
, has strongly appealed to the judgment Of
, the commission. It's Importance was en-
phasized by the Chicago Board of Review
| on the occasion Of the visit of the COM
. mission to that city. Such policy was
linaugurated there few years since and
? has resulted in a marked Increase both II
| the volume and the valuation of assessed
I .xs1~rr - Npc<S fSr1o ~,