The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-02-28
LAYING TO COMMISSIONERS

Driven to the wall on the matter
or increased state taxes, the insure
gents are now trying to Shift the
responsibility from the state admin-
~istration to the boards OF a county
commissioners throughout the state,
and the insurgent press declare with
much force thar the state hoard OF
equalization increased che assessment
on land owned by the farmers IN but
six counties. The state adninistra.
tion in sending out smpplen eots to
the insurgents have declared that
this additional burden shoald not
be put on the state loard of equal
ization when it properly teIonged
to the county COMMISSIONS 1t is
this sort Of a s%ubterfnpe TIA the
state board proposes to deceive the
voters of this state.
This same newspaper supplem n,
was issued IN Dawson county, AID
1t attempts to direct the attention
OF the farmers of this county that
their lands were assessed higher last
summer by reason Of the action of
the board of county commissioners.
1t is absolutely untrue and it can be
proven concluslvely by calling at the
office of the county auditor who has
the action of the state board of
equalization as a guide to what to do
with the farm lands.
The state administration declares
that at the meeting OF the board in
August that no action was taken on
the increased valuation of farm lands
with the exception OF six countries.
That is true so far as it goes.
Where the foundation was laid for
the increased assessment was at the
March meeting OF the hoard of
equalization. at that time the
county auditors Of the state we've
requested to be present at Iicrre
for a conference with the state
board Of equalization for the purpose
OF arriving at a just assessment Of
farm lands. The county auditors
were present in nearly every instance.
These auditors were given to under
stand by the members OF the state
board of equalization that farm
lands would have to be increased and
that the work might as we'll he done
oy the assessors at the time of
making the assessment instead Of
assessing at the same old value and
then having the work to he done
over again by the state board Of
equalization, which would have to
make the increase when the returns
were made at the August meeting.
With that understanding In view,
and under positive instructions
from the state board of equalization,
the farm lands were increased. In
Dawson county the assessment on
farm lands was raised from s6.41 per
acre to $3.50 per acre. There are
263, S75 acres of land in the county
that is subject to taxation'o tside of
the city, and at the average of So. 50
per acre 1t amounts to So. G66, So.
which figure is reached by IT, oroers
of the state hoard of equalization.
The amount of assessment on this
same amount OF land before the state
board ordered it raised from S6.4l
per acre was 81 SOL, 43s. As \ result
of this increase the farmers of Davi.
son will be required to paw taxes on
1915, 442. Under those cpncitions
how can be avoided the paying Of
larger taxes under the state admin
istration. All the howl that is
being raised by the insurgents that
the taxes have not been Increased by
the state administration is thus
shown conclusively. 1t is insisted by
the insurgents that the taxes ARE
no higher, but when the farmer
walks up to pay his taxes he will find
that lie Is paying from 25 to 80 per
cent higher taxes than in 1906.