Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1914-04-17

Mr.. ARMSON MEETS
WITH ASSESSORS
MOST TAXES ARE LOCAL
TAXES.
Assessor Determines Whether
Taxes Shall be Fair and Just
The New Classified Assess
lnent Law" Explained.
3 u e "a
y Determines Whether


met at the court house Friday for a
conference with the state tax commits
sion on the method of listing and as
sesing property under the new CLASH
field assessment law. ]. G. Armson,
chairman of the tax commission, ex-
planned the provisions of the new law
And answered numerous questions pro-
pounded by different assessors relating
{ to their duties.
AS Introductory to the subject of
the conference, Mr.. Armson discussed
briefly why taxes are necessary and by
whom and for what purpose they are
levied. It was pointed out that in the
final analysis nearly all taxes were 10.
cal, and that with the exception of
tue state levy, each county and it's
subdivisions had entire control over
the amount.sof money raised for public
purposes by taxation.
g In 1912 approximately $37, 900. 900
were levied in direct taxes for all
purposes-state and local. Of each
800 paid in direct taxes in that year
the state received So. 48, the counties
$17.79, the cities and villages,
$32. O3, the townships, $8.88, and
public education $50. 80. In other
words, of each dollar paid in direct
taxes in that year the state received
81 cents and the minor subdivisions
Of the state 915 cents, and for every
dollar paid into the state treasury in
that year in direct taxes the state re-
turned approximately 81 cents to the
local taxing districts. Excluding the
three large counties of the state
Hennepin, Ramsey and st. Louis
for every dollar received by the state
in direct taxes in 1912 the state re-
turned $1.31 TO the minor subdivisions
of the state, thus showing that while
the state Ievies a small direct tax
each year the amount eventually finds
its way back to the schools and
municipalities and in the final analy
sis direct taxes are practically all To-
cal taxes.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES.
In Stevens county in 1912 the total
tax levy for all purposes was $153, :
..743,85. OF each 500 of this amount
1854 went to the state revenue fund
$26. So to the county, S11.83 to the
cities and villages, $1,000 to the
townships, and $40. 81 to education.
In other words, of each $40 paid
in direct taxes in that year by the
taxpayers of Stevens county, only
about cents went into the state
TeVenue fund. The total levy in that
gear for state purposes state revenue
otfund and education, in Stevens county
was $40. $40. 48 while the county re-
:ceived from the state in school ap-
portionment and other appropriations,
1927, 323.81. Expressed in dollars,
for each dollar you paid into the
state treasury in that year the county
received from the state 81. 80 in re-.
turn. The state not only re-
turned all direct taxes. but nearly
$4,000 more than was paid into the
state treasury by Stevens county in
that year.
These figures are not quoted for
the purpose of justifying extravag-
ance on the part of the state. if
Extravaganza exists-for taxpayers
have a right to expect dollars
worth of service for every dollar
paid in taxes-but for the purpose of
bringing out two important facts i:
First. that direct taxes are largely
local taxes, and that nothing is to be
gained by illegally depressing assessed
values: and, second, for the purpose
Of showing that if taxes are ever to
be materially reduced it viii be neces-
sary to begin at home. in the school
district, the township, the village and
city, and in the county.
ASSESSOR NOT RESPONSIBLE.
A great many taxpayers honestly
believe that the assessor is response
BILE for high taxes, but nothing could
be farther from the truth. The as
SCISSOR has practically nothing to dc
with making taxes high or low. His
duty is simply to value the property
upon which the tax is levied. The
assessment is a factor to determine
how much each person shall contri-
butte to the expense of government
but it does not determine the amount
of the tax. 1t is the amount of money
that is voted for public purposes that
determines whether taxes shall be
high or low. Large appropriations
mean high taxes. When community
is spending large amounts of money
it matters not what for, taxes will
inevitably be high; but the assessor
as an officer has absolutely nothing tc
say about how much money shall be