The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-19
ADDING MILLIONS
TO The TAX LISTS
CITY ASSESSOR MINOR GETS AT
TER CORPORATIONS.
Demands of Each General or Local In
corporated Concern Doing Business in
City Statement Of Business, as Re-
quired by Code-Big Increases Like
ly to Result.

City Assessor GU. Minor has under
taken task that is likely to result in
a greatly enlarged tax list for Mime
apolis and Hennepin county, and eonse-
quently in more money for city and
county purposes. Acting on the theory
that just as no man on a streetcar
pays his nickel until requested to by
the man in authority, Mr.. Minor has
assumed that in the matter of taxes
no man or corporation will pay until he
or it has been asked. Accordingly, ne
has made extraordinary efforts to see
that everyone is asked.
Circular letters are being sent out
this week to the officers of all the COR
porations in the city calling their at
tention to section 83S of the revised
code, which requires them to furnish
a sworn statement Of various informa-
ton required by the tax laws of the
state. <~-
Mr.. Minor has recently been supplied
with complete list Of all the local con-
Germs incorporated in Minnesota, and a
list of all the foreign corporations doing
business in Minneapolis. These lists
will form the basis of thoro reform
in the method of assessing corporations.
Puts Millions on Books.
It is by far the most important sin
RlC luuOPdG1Ou dtUClupbcu ny tuo lUCdl
assessor. and is expected to increase
the valuation of this city by many
millions of dollars thru securing valu-
ations on various items which have
heretofore escaped taxation.
There are nearly 1000 local corpora
tions In the list and nearly 500 foreign
ones. Many Of the latter, tho doing
business all over the country, have their
headquarters. here and will be treated
accordingly. They have had an ad-
vantage over the local corporations in
the matter of taxes as the valuations
have been based on their purely local
business instead Of their general bust
ness. -
For instance, one concern of national
fame which has heretofore been as
sessed at only $4,000 will probably be
raised to $1,000, 900. A determined eff
fort, at any rate. will be made to Sc
cure the latter figure as the company IS
general business will easily warrant the
increase. The increases will not be
confined to the foreign corporations as
| it has been learned that many concerns
of which little has been known have
not been paying their share of the
taxes.
/ Gist Of Circular.
The meat Of Mr.. Minors circular is
contained In the fOllOWlng quotation
from section 1888 Of the revised stat.
utes:
1.-THE president, secretary or princi
pal accounting officer of every company
and association, incorporated or unin.
corporated, except railroads, insurance
telegraph, telephone, express, freight
line, and sleepingcar companies, an6
! banking corporations, whose taxation il
specifically provided for in this chapter
when listing personal property, shall
also make out and deliver to the asses
scr a sworn statement of the amount
of it's capital stock. setting forth partic
ularly name and location of company;
amount of capital stock authorized anc
number of shares; amount Of capita
stock paid up; market value, or if none
then actual value Of shares; value Of
real property; value of personal prop
erty; amount. Of Indebtedness. except
for current expenses excluding from tht
latter amounts paid for the purchase o,
Improvement Of property.
In the event Of failure or refusa
of the officers to supply a sworn state
ment the assessor is authorized as il
other cases to fill out the Statement
from the best sources obtainable. -