Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-04
CITY FATHERS
DISCUSS The
TAXATION BILL
Bill Before the State Legis-
lature Now Said to be
Revolutionary.

At aSmeeting Of the city council last
aight Senate Bill No. "a was discussed
and. City Attorney Geo. A. Bangs was
authorized to investigate the matter
and take such action as seemed ad-
visable.
This morning Mr.. Bangs got in
communication with Senator w. 5.
Whitman, copies of the bill were pro-
cured and letters have been written
20 Messrs. O'Connor, Burtness and
Whitman, pointing out the injustice
Of the proposed measures.
Senate Bill NO. "a is said to be
most revolutionary and affects dis
astrously every township, county,
of the cities and city school districts
in the state.
This bill accomplishes W major
which are: First, it abol-
ishes all tax sales and second. 1T
turns over all property to the state
upon which there are three years
delinquent axes.
A very large portion of the rev.
enues of the different townships,
school districts, cities, etc. is derived
from the tax sales held in December
of each year or from h pressure
applied by reason thereof to de-
%iinquent tax payers; the property is
advertised and if not redeemed prior
to the sale, then the mortgages OF
subsequent encumbrancers may pro
tect their interests by purchasing the
property at the sale, after which
there is a %three-year period of re-
demption to the owner; all this is de-
stroyed by this proposed bill; there
are no more tax sales SO that there Is
no longer any inducement for people
to pay the delinquent taxes at the
tax sales.
Instead the property is permitted
to remain delinquent for three years
at which time a judgment is ID
ed, vesting the title in fee simple In
the state; if no redemption Of the
property is made before the judgment
is rendered the state becomes the
owner of the property.
Up to this time, the state has levied
but a small proportion Of the aggre-
gate tax against the property in this
state so that the state deliberately
reaches out and takes all Of the
property which is the fund from
which all of the taxes for the school
districts, etc., must be realized, and,
by virtue of the states power. con-
fscates that property for the benefit
of the state and destroys all possibility
of school districts, counties, etc. OBJ
tanning the payment of their share OF
the taxes Of the property.
Ice Implement Discussed.
The purchasing of an ice cutting
machine was discussed and the
feasibility of such a purpose consid-
cred. The statement rendered by the
batoir service amounting to $86.96 for
July first to February first was al
lowed. Two bids for the 100 acres OF
land owned by the city and which has
been used for dumping ground was
opened and turned over to the ways
and means committee with powers to
act.
Bills aggregating s~5,s54.24 were al
lowed, including fire department
s74o.s2. water and light station
s932.35, superintendent Of water
works, s530.55 and library $500.
City Auditor w. H. Alexander re-
ported that the state board Of uni
versity and school lands, after prom.
Using to purchase $4,000 worth Of
Waterworks extensions bonds which
are due June /, now refused to do sc
on account of lack Of funds. This
matter was given to the city attorney
Other routine business was taker
care Of such as the allowing of sew
eral Tor auto taX1rnen, NOV
ing picture houses and pawnbrokers
At the request of Mayor Wheeler the
council approved Of a committee
which he had named to hold a pub
lie meeting Sunday evening, February
9, in honor of the late ex-presiden
Theodore Roosevelt. Alderman Joh1
Eichon, who was appointed to fill tn
place left vacan by Alderman W. S
Whitman, was named on the com
mittees on which his predecessor wa
81 q vnorohor