The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-02-16
TaxationProbI WorryEqual-
izers and Auditors.
between CUSTOM AND LAW
Committees Named to Look Into Mat.
tiers Du ing the Summer; Gov
ernor Pays the Bills.


ing was done by county auditors and
members of the state board of equaliza.
ton. The two organizations met sep
arately, and the auditors got into de-
bate over what ratio of assessment
should be used. 1t was proposed to agree
on a recommendation to the: board of
equalization, but disagreement was evil
dent at once, and finally, without a vote,
the whole proposition was passed up to
the board of equalization, with re-
quest for a conference. The board met
this request by going into executive ses-
sion. The boards secret deliberations
began at noon and lasted a long time
The auditors got nervous waiting.
Everybody is afraid of the dilemma
that is presented. The state board is
democratic, while the auditors are near
ly all republicans, so there was a polit-
ical phase to the side-stepping.
The trouble is that the law requires
property to be listed at its full value,
while the taxing authorities generally
use so per cent as the basis. The actual
ratio is often much below 80 per cent.
sThe auditors were divided Some want
ed to recommend that assessments be
made at full value. and said no other
recommendation could be made. The
objection to this was that it would
about double valuations, and so double
taxes on all the fixed lcvies. 1t would
also change salaries and many other
things regulated by law according to
assessed valuation of counties. One OF
the committees divided OH the PROPOSE
ton. The majority refused to make
any report, while j. n. Gayner of Meek
er and w. L. Phelps of Olmstead rec
commended that schedules be unchanged.
This report started the trouble. Odin
Halden of Duluth spoke earnestly
against recommending anything but full
value A. L. Bolsta of Big Stone coun-
ty offered a motion. stating to the state
board that the auditors could not rec
ommend any other basis of assessment
than the law provides. j. n. Gayner of
fered as an amendment that the board
of equalization be asked to join with
them IN discussing the question. This
was adopted and Mr.. Gayner convey
ed the invitation to the board, which, on
motion of w. A. Hardenbergh, went into
executive session to discuss it. h taor
The following committees of county
auditors wen named to confer with
the proper committees of the board OF
equalization: la!t ! io5a I'D
Real Estate-George Robertson, Now,
er county; Louis G. Nogel,a Brown; +
d. Stocking, Mcleod; P. A. Hoffman.
Dakota; O. Halden, st. Louis; j. c. Gre
yer. Stearns; A. l.. Bolsta, Big Stone; ).
p. Paulson, Lake; n. A. Hafford, Polk.
Personal Property, Item 1 to l5-T.
Z. Phelps, Olmstead; II. L. Ingebritsen
Freeborn; A.aC. Buck, Sibley; Z. G.
Kramer, Ramsey; J. N. Gayner, Meek
er; w. A. Butler, Morrison; Oadson, Lac
qui Parle; o. Halden, st. Louis; 2. b.
Malberg, Marshall
Personal Property, Glasses l6 to 30
Joseph Wincziewski, Winona; ?. ID. Nc,
Kellar, jackson; J. B. Connolly, Carver;
Jens Arneson, Grant; Hugh L. Scott:
Hennepin; A. i. Kasner, Benton; S. o.
Tiosvald, Yellow Medicine; a. Peterson,
Kanabec: John Whitman, Beltrami.
At the meeting today Chairman
Champlin announced the following com
mittees of the board of equalization:
Livestock. Glasses /, 2, 3 and IN,
Nachbar, chairman; H. l.. Shirley, An,
drew French.
Wagons, Carriages, Automobiles:
Steamboats,, Etc.-W. r. Hodges, chair
man; John Heinen, William Gauze-
WITT.
Sewing Machines, Clocks, Melodeons:
Pianos, Glasses 6, 7, 8, 9 and lO-Jason
Weatherhead, chairman; s. B. Nelson, c.
O'Brien.
Gold and Silver Plated Ware, Dia-
monds, Glasses II and &c. z. Nasley.
chairman; John Heinen, T. P! Brown.
Goods and Mechanically. A. Har-
denbergh. chairman; S. j. Mealy, 5. b.
Nelson. C. O'Brien, l. B. Elwood.
manufacturers Tools and Machinery.
Classes II and lS-William Gausewitz.
chairman; Henry Nolte, Andrew French:
Jason Weatherhead, III. L. Shirley.
Banks and Credits, Glasses 10, 20, 81.
% and 23-H. l.. Shirley, chairman; W.
r. Hodges, +. p. Brown, John Heinen
Killiam GausewitZ.
Eating Houses, Etc.. Glasses 26, p, %
and 3O-F. P. Brown, chairman; c.
O'Brien, c. E. Vasaly.
Logs and Lumber-L. B. Elwood.
chairman; NJ Nachbar, r. L. Daily, I. B.
Brown, Jason Weatherhead.
Public Service Corporations-S. j.
Mealy, chairman; T. J. Meighen, w. A.
Hardenbergh, Z. T. Champlin, c. E.
Vaslay.
Real Estate-R. I. DAILY, chairman
L. B. Elwood w. A. Hardenbergh, Henry
Nolte, 7. J. Meighen, Z. 7. Champlin
Andrew French, S. C.. Nelson, NJ. Mach
bar.
Franchises-Thomas J. AIeighen, chair
man; r. L. DAILY, i. b. Elwood.
The committees will hold meetings