The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-09-13
MERCHANTS. WILL
PROTEST INCREASE
~NTAXASSESSM'TS..
BY COUNTY BOARD
Commission Appointed and Matter to
Be Taken Up With State
Commission.
CITY COUNCIL HAS
APPOINTED COMMITTEE
Meeting to Be Held Monday at Which
Time It is Believed Board
Will Act.

| of the Bemidji Merchants associa-
tion Tuesday decided to enter pro-
test against the Increases of valua-
tions made by the county board of
| equalization. The merchants are of
the opinion that the increases were
unjust inasmuch as full valuation
was reported in the majority of the
cases.
Committee Named.
( H. E. Reynolds, G. E. Battles and
w. N. BOwser were appointed COM
! mittee to act with Mayor Charles w.
Vandersluis, Alderman J. P. Lahr,
Assessor T. E. Lloyd and City Attor-
ney P. J. Russell, appointed at a re-
cent meeting of the council to inves-
tigate the matter.
The committees will meet with the
state tax commission to discuss the
matter next Monday.
The following letter was sent to the
tax commission by Mayor Vanders-
luis and Alderman J. P. Lahr. The
letter points out the increases which
are questioned and is self-explana-
tory: r.-,> ~ - @~< : 49,, p.
~ II Letter Fellows. H. s-~. -, s.
fMfnnesota State Tax. Commission, =
St. Paul, Minnesota.
Gentlemen-As chairman and as
clerk of the city of Bemidji board of
equalization, we respectfully call your
attention to the following existing
conditions in our city and the changes
made in the assessment by the Bel
trami county board of equalization.
Our assessor, T. E. Lloyd, made the
automobile assessment in compliance
with the instructions received from a
member of your honorable board. The
| list price was used as a basis and rs
per cent reduction made for each
years use, thus arriving at the as
sessed actual value. A car purchased
in 1916 would be assessed at list
price. Why should the county board
make a raise of 25 per cent on this
item? The owner of a car purchased
! this spring will then pay on a greater
valuation than the list price.
Injustice to Merchants.
The assessor obtained the in
! voices of at least one-third of our
| merchants when making the assess
ment and computed the assessed ac-
tual value from these figures. The
county board saw fit to raise all
stocks of merchandise rs per cent
above the assessors figures. Will this
not be an injustice to these mer-
chants
In order to keep down our rate of
| taxation our assessor has placed a
| valuation on our plated property and
structures even beyond the real value
as can be corroborated by the fact
| that several of our property owners
are not paying the 1914 and 1915
property tax, and have appealed to
| the district court for relief. The
valuation of 1916 is identical with
that of 1914. Lots assessed at $2,-
900 can be purchased for 100000.
Lots assessed at $500 have actually
been purchased for $4,000.
To Submit Evidence.
In addition to this inflated value,
the county board has now increased
the valuation of our plated prop
erty and structures by Is per cent.
Was this done to equalize the valua
ton of our plated property with that
of the village of Solway? .~-- s..
> We are willing and anxious to sub
nit such vidence as you may desire
to substantiate the statements made
herein.
We respectfully request advice
from your honorable board, regard
ing relief from the increases inflicted
by our county board. Respectfully
yours, .....
T. c. w. .VANDERSLUIS,
Chairman, County Board of Equali-
- zatioh, Mayor of Bemidji.
j. p. LAHR, Clerk,
City Board Of Equalization.
~, fGSEi / tarsts@r rs..f