The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-08-15
Will REFUSE TO PAY TAXES Until
COMPELLED TO BY HIGHEST COURTS

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it's Beltrami timber in three years
They say that they had planned on
easing this work over five years and
that the Weyerhauser timber would
keep them going at least five years
longer. Now the Weyerhauser deal
is Off and will remain Off if the tax
increase is allowed to stand.
1t is pointed out that logs are as
sessed as personal property where
they are sawed and that if the Wey-
erhauser timber is brought to Be-
midi, the tax on that timber for at
least five years will be turned into
Beltrami county Golfers, whereas if
it is sawed in Little Falls, the mon
ey will go elsewhere Furthermore,
in case Of litigation, the county will
not receive any money until the mat
ter has been dragged through to the
highest courts and will be out at
both ends of the deal
School Money Tied Up.
One Of the consequences of the
tieing up of the tax money Of the
Crookston company will be the fact
that the Bemidji school board will
lose close to $4,000 Members of
the board~say that this will seriously
hamper them in their work and that
if the money is not forthcoming
from the company, that it will have
to be raised either by an increased
assessment on the county or by the
voting of bonds
At a meeting of the school board
Monday, a resolution was passed
asking the board of equalization to
reconsider it's action and if possible
to reduce the assessment to a figure
proportionate with other lumber
companies in the county. All of the
members of the school board are
planning to appear before the equal
lzation board on Monday and ask
that the figures be lowered.
One of the county commissioners
on Tuesday night took the trouble
to talk with many Bemidji people
over the increases made and he later
said that without exception the per-
sons to whom he talked had no criti-
clsm to make on any increase with
the exception of that of the Crook
ston mill. The commissioner said
that it was made plain to him that
the people thought an Injustice had
been done and that the board should
set it right.
In 1911, the Crookston Lumber
company paid twenty per cent of the
total personal property tax in Bel
traml county. Officials of the COM
pany stated yesterday to the Pho
neer that the company would not OBJ
Ject to a ten per cent increase, or
raise IN the assessment from S249,-
500 to about S275,OOO although that
would be making them pay more than
their share, but that the company
would not willingly pay sixty per
cent increase when other concerns
were not treated in like manner.
Inc present assessment will mean
the company must pay one-third of
the total personal property tax in
Be1trami county.
Business men of Bemidji are
wrought up over the action of the
county board and accuse A. 3. Rako.
commissioner from this district. of
not protecting the interests of his
district. Other members of the board
have stated that when a commission
er says that the assessors figures in
MS district are not to be touched
they are left alone. Mr.. Rako made
no such statement. Consequently
the board did as it pleased.
When the Crookston mill was buil1
ten years ago, many business men
signed an agreement that in case the
personal property taxes of the COM
pany were more than $4,000 a year
that they would pay from $25 to $50
each into a pool to care for the ex-
cess over $4,000. The company has
never yet called on these men, but
still holds the agreement, which GOV.
cred ten year period and still has
year to run, as evidence of the fact
that the mill was wanted so badly
mat the men were willing to let the
company off with practically no tax.
es.
Although no one from the Crook.
ston Lumber company will appear
before the equalization board Mon.
day, according to present plans, it i.
certain that the matter will be AGAR
brought up.