The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-01-23
THAT TAX

tax matter, the great exposure ina
he promised the people some time
ago has at last been brought un-
der the light of publicity. The
Miner says: Judging from the
way the tax payers feel it is a lit
tie wonder that the King is wor-
ried. Here. is the way one tax
payer feels and we could publish a
hundred or more on the same line.'
The following is the letter:
Turtle Lake, N. D. Jan, IL, 1904.
Mr.. Editor
Can you or some Of your rea-
ders tell me why or for what cause
that the taxes are almost three
times as great as they were last
year? My taxes last year were
$3.50 and this year were $39.93
for the same land. Has there been
a court house or jail built or has
there been large rewards paid for
prisoner that have gotten away
and been retaken. Or have the
county officers raised the salaries
to such an extent that it takes
$42.364,O0O more taxes or is some
of u unimproved lands assessed
higher than others? [ have seen
nothing done in the county or state
that will justify the raise in taxes.
Yours very truly,
A. F. Eggert.
For the benefit of MI. Eggert,
who so kindly asked for an expla-
nation why his taxes increased in
such a large proportion over the
year before. If Mr. Eggert had
gone over to the Office of the coun-
ty treasurer or had read the LEA
DER, the issue of November IA, he
would have been saved the trouble
of writing to the Miner asking for
an explanation.
Now MI. Eggert, in 1902 owned
all of 20, township l47, range so,
which was valued at 1926, fixed by
the state board. The levy that
year was PIG mills for state and
general, making his tax $3.50 for
that year. In 1908 the same land
was valued at $1,1O0 the valuation
again being fixed by the state board.
The levy for that year, 1903, state
and general 2l.3 mills, six tenths
less than the year before. The
Crooked Lake school district was
organised and a levy of Is mills
was made amounting to a tax of
$3.50 on the land. The land in
1902 was not assessed for a school
tax, the district then being unor-
ganized. This year a levy of Is
mills was made. This is a correct
statemen of the taxes on section
29-l47.8O, and can be shown byth
books in the Office of the county
treasurer.
If Mr.. Eggert had read the Lea
der he would. have known some
thing about the affairs of the coun-
ty, and would not have been called
upon to display his ignorance be-
fore the public on matters pertain.
ing to county affairs. A man who
lives in a school district and does
not know how much money is spent
and the levies made is in q very
poor place to criticise others.
Nearly half of Eggert's taxes
this year goes to the Crooked Lake
school district and We are glad to
be able to show Mr.. Eggert what
has raised his taxes and he does
not havet to go away from home to
find out how the money is spent.
We have mailed to Mr.. Eggert
q marked copy of this paper in Or
der that he can get posted up and
not be compelled to rush into print.
It would be we'll for those who
think their taxes are high to look
them up and see what causes it,
and they will find out that the levy
in many districts, exceeds that of
the state and county general. The
salaries of the county officers are
fixed by law and cannot be changed
by the officers themselves, as the
writer thinks has been done.
Mr. Eggert's land increased in
value just the same as the rest did,
and we do not believe for one mo-
ment that his land did not advance,
and if it had not he would have
felt that he made a poor invest
mont We h,,v land nth the ax.