The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-26
BOARD HAS COME
OFF HIGH HORSE
HENNEPIN'S ASSESSMENT FOR
MERCHANDISE MUCH LOWER.
Today's Action Leaves County's valua-
tion $775,579 Lower Than Last Year,
When Merchants Fought the Assess
ment in Court State as a Whole
Left Lower on This Item.

BY it's action today, the state board
of equalization admitted that the as
sessment Of goods and merchandise on
Minneapolis last year was too high, and
the protest OF Minneapolis merchants
was Just.
The assessment as left by the state
board last year was $s,456, 444. This
year the return made was independent
| Of last years valuation. The assessor
and the county board of equalization
| ignored the standard fixed by the state
| board, and returned only $685., Cos I'M
der goods and merchandise, of which
$3,179,575 is in wholesale and $3,803, O30
in retail stocks. The state board today
let Hennepin off with a raise of 10 per
cent, bring cling the total up to $3.50 ,865
or $775,579 lower than last year.
Last year the assessment was re-
turned by Hennepin higher than sent
in this year, and a Is per cent raise was
! voted by the board, against strenuous
protests from the merchants. They
! fought the assessment in court, but
were not able to get decision on the
merits Of the assessment.
Returns from the state at large are
left lower this year than they were
last, and Hennepin has not Jared so
very well relatively. The total for the
state last year was $3l,lS2,002, and
this year. was returned at only $780,.
621,567. The raises made by the com.
mittee and adopted by the, board will
not average ~ 10 d PER oe cent, leaving the
return s only s5Sss, iss, s Compares 4eS
, with $6,S22,14 last year, and was
only raised 10 per cent, bringing it ur
to $5,827, 946. or a million lower than
; last year: A large share of the coun
, ties were not changed by the board
and the largest increases, Is per. cent
Meeker counties. R. T. Daley of Rem
vile declared his belief that the bis
city merchants are assessed too low
but said this could not be remedied BY
the board without unjustly raising thu
small merchants. J. E. Cooley Of Du
luth wanted to raise everything high
or than last year for the sake Of it
. Elwood Of Minneapolis rejoined tina
{ by the time work was finished Hen
L nepin valuation. would be $2,O0O,OOl
2 greater than last year, when the boar,
!, piled 100000 on the county.
, One Member Makes Charges.
/ Some excitement is promised O
: lumber schedules. NJ. Nachbar o
Jordan, who is member Of the com
t mittee on logs and lumber, charge
: today that the committee had don
!, its work without calling him to
y meeting. and that it's report was
: "one-sided proposition This wa
y Indignantly denied by q. W. Knox Q
e Aitkin, chairman Of the eommitte,
= claimed that lumber cannot be raise
. without; raising all other articles j
class II, manufactured products. It
understood that no raises will be mad
on Hennepin,G g which has returned !.
$l,s1oi24!ol. assesyinee1nt, larger than las
e year. a stiff raise IS promised for tt
that with "a cut nearly. three tim.
e Minneapolis, the assessment Of lumbt
l. in that district is only about half
) high. The comparative statement flu
r nished the committee is as follows:
III n. = ;.,.: Assessments. Cut, 19t
le Minneapolis 5........ $3.50, 240 1885, Oil c