The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-04-01
COUNTY ASSESSORS
TOLD OF TAX LAWS
Commissioners Lord Explained New
Classified Assessment and Money
and Credits Measures
TELLS WHERE MONEY GOES
Quotes Figures Showing $23,657
Were Paid to State Treasury Last
Year Doubly Returned

Year Doubly Returned
Facts concerning the classified
assessment and the money and
credits" laws of the state were ex-
planned to the assessors of the coun-
.ty yesterday by Sam Lord, a mem
Der OF the state tax commission,
Nearly every assessor of the county
was present at the meeting held in
the court house and which was for
the purpose of giving the tax adjust
ers an opportunity to become better
acquainted with their duties. Com
missioner Lord reminded them that
they had taken an oath to perform
their Duties in conformity with the
laws of the state and that the people
who had elected them had a. right to
expect that they would be mindful
of this obligation and enforce the
law. He said that ''tax paying
would probably never become a
pleasant duty, but if taxpayers
could always feel that their money
was wisely expended and that the
property of their neighbors was as
sessed the same as their own, there
would be much less murmuring and
fewer complaints
Assessors" he continued, should
read and re-read the laws of the
state governing their duties and as
fast as possible master the funda-
mental principles of taxation so that
they could explain to taxpayers. who
are not well informed just why taxes
are levied and why it is necessary,
in order to give everybody a square
deal, that all property should be on
the assessment books and all of 1t
valued and assessed in strict con-
FORTY with the law.
cit would make the assessors Job
much easier and he would he much
more useful officer to the community
he serves if he could explain to tax
payers in a general wayby whom and
for wffat purposes eti TAX money,
is spent.
7 Where Money Went
"Of each 800 paid in taxes in Bel
trami county last year, 1884 was
for state revenue, $3.50 for princi-
pal and interest on state loans,
$34.S3 went to the county, $13.G3
went to- the cities and villages,
$15.93 to the townships, and $3O.1S
was devoted to education. Taking
the state as whole, of every dollar
paid in taxes in 1912 the state re-
ceived approximately 8 1-2 cents and
the counties and their minor sub
divisions 81 10 cents.
Much Paid Back
There is another phase of the
state tax that is quite generally oy-
erlooked. Nearly the entire amount
paid into the state treasury in d.
rect taxes each year is paid back to
the local districts in appropriations
for schools and other public purposes.
In 1913, 80 counties of the IS coun-
ties in the state received more money
from the state than they paid into
the state treasury. In 1918 Bel
trami county paid into the state
treasury $23,657.77, and during the
same year received from the state
$47,702.44. mother words, for every
dollar the taxpayers of Beltrami
county paid to the state in 1913, the
state paid hack to the county $2.02
The excess came from the iron mines
of northern Minnesota, from the citi.
zens of st. Paul.. Minneapolis and
Duluth and the counties of Rock
Cook and Itasca, and from. gross
earnings, inheritance and other spec.
ial taxes. 1t is evident from these
figures that the very prevalent be
lief that taxes are high because
state expenditures are large is no.
borne out by the facts.
II quote these figures, not to JUS
tify extravaganza on the part of the
state if extravaganza exists because
I feel that taxpayers have a righ+
to expect a dollars worth of service
for every dollar spent in taxes bur
for the purpose Of bringing out i'm
portant facts; first, that PRACTICAL.
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