Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1914-04-29
OUR SYSTEM
OF TAXATION
DISCUSSED IN DETAIL BY CHAIR
MAN or MINNESOTA TAX
COMMISSION

meeting OF the assessors OF Marshall
Co, explained the provisions of af1a
new law and answered numerous
Questions propoundsd by different as
sss0rs relating 70 theLr duties
As introductory to rte subject OF
the conference. MIR Arulson discuss
ed briefly why taxes are necessary
and bT whom and for what purpose
they are levied 1t was pointed out
that in ElIe hnaE analysts nearly all
taxes were local, and tt2at with the
exception OF the state levy. each
county and it's Subdivisions had an
tire control over Ef1e amount OF uAor-
ey raised for public purposes by tax
arfrn.
In 1912 approximately s57 .GGG. 600
were levied IN direct taxes for an
pnses-srare and local OF each
800 paid in direct taxes In that wear
Ehe STATE -eca5 vei SS4S. the counties
S17.79. Ets cities and villages S52- -G9,
the townships ss-sS. and public edu-
cation SSS1S7 In other words, of each
dollar laid In direct taxes IN that
gsar thu state received t-7 CENTS
and Cle minor Subdivisions OF the
state g. IL cents, and for every dol
lar paid into the state treasury I'm that
year In direct taxes the state returned
&ppFC x5rla teIv 50 csc-s to- the local
taxing districts Excluding tf1e three
large counties OF the sca-e-Hennepin,
Ramsey and ST. L0ufs-tor every dol
bar received by the state I'm direct tax
in 1912 the state returned s1at TO the
ulfrCr Subdivisions of the stale thus
showing tf1at while the state lsV5es
small direct tax each year the amount
eventually finds it's way back TO tf-e
schools and uunieipa aafties and in the
finlsa analysis direct taxes are prac-
sfcafly all local rsxss-
In Marshall COUNTY i'm 1912 the to-
raj TAX levy for all purposes was
S3QS, 1881 OF each StG1 of this
amount. SS-fS weuE TO the state reve-
nrpe fund. St@fG to- the county. S6sT
to the cities and villages SIT 40 to tFae
towushfps. and SzS-7t TO education
In JtErer words. of each sf-QG paid IN
direct taxes IL THAT year by che tax
payers of MARSHALL COUNTY only about
5 CENTS weut into the state revenue
fund The total levy In THAT year
for state purpos ses-srats revenue
fund and edueatiou5-fa Marshall eoun-
" was SIS, z5s Il while ttls county re-
catved from the state in school appor-
riGnruent and other appropriations,
tS.s7s2t Expressed In dollars. for
each dGlIar you paid into the state
treasury IN that year rt1e county re-
cetvsd from the state slTS IN re-
-1rn- The state not only returned al
direct taxes but nearly So. 600 more
tfral was paid into the state treasury
By Marshall county in that ysar
These figures are not quoted for
the purpose of Fusuifying e1rravz,
zuce on the part of tia state, Ii sx,
traysgance exists. 6or taxVoyers have
i right TO Expect dollars worth ci
service for every dollar paid In taxes
-beur for the purpose of bringing out
TWO irnportau facts: Firsc. that direct
taxes are. largely local taxes, and that
nothing Is TO De gained by Illegally
depressing assessed values: and. So
cpld. for rEe purpose of showing THAT
IL taxes ars ever 10 be materially ~
duced it viii be necessary I'd begin
right s1 home. In the school 6istricE
the township, the village and city, and
In the county
A great many taxpayers honestly
believe that tha assessor is respoasi
Die for high taxes. but nothing could
BE- farther from the truth TIE asses
sor has practically nothing TO do with
making taxes high or low His dmry
= sfnpty Co value the property upon
which tae TAX Is levied The assess
ment is ! factor 20 determine how
much each person shall contribute tf
the expense OF government. but Il
dpes not determine the amount of the
tax It Is the amount OF uoney tina
is voted for public purposes that de
teruine whether taxes shall be higf
OF low Large appropriations NEAR
high taxes When q community /:
spending large amounts OF Money i
matters not what for. taxes will ineTi
sabsy be high but the assessor as ar
officer has absolutely nothing to- ss.
about how much money shall b
spent Matters OF expenditure are de
t,srmined by town nsetfngs- scfloa
meetings. Village and city councils
county boards Ehe Legislature and b
the people themseEveS-noE by tbs
assessor.
But while the assessor has przctfc
ally nothing TO do wfrh making take
high or low he las nearly everything
TO do with Determining whether the,
anaM be fair and just L. Is his tuuc
tfon to determine how much OF 5h'
public burden each taxpayer sinai
bear This he does when he place
a value on rfls Eaxpayars property
From the standpoint OF the EndEFidua
taxpayer be Is by Ear the mosE irnpor
tant officer who has anything 70 d
with taxation Ii ha does his #0ri
fn the way the Aw provides apron
mate Justice will prevail between tn
taxpayers OF the district. but II on tn
other hand he departs from this stand
dard Or il he omfrs any consfdarabI
amount OF property from his hist th
assessment invariably abCunas In n
grussest inequalities and results Il
the rsnkest injustice