The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-04-24
ASSESSORS MEETING
y. 3. Bacon, of Minnesota Tax Com
mission, 1nstructs Assessors
of County in Duties.

of County in Duties.
Prefaces His Address With a Tribute
to Worth of Late Senator +,
Robert c. Dunn.
A meeting of the assessors of Mile
Laos county was held at the court
house on April g. All assessors were
present except those from Isle. Wah-
kon, Isle Harbor and Daley.
II. 3. Bacon, chief clerk of the Min.
nesota tax commission, was present tn
outline the duties of assessors with
reference to the listing and valuation
OF property for the current year.
Before proceeding with his instruc-
lions, however, he paid a high tribute
TO the worth of the late R. C. Dunn.
saying, among other things, that he
mas done more to enhance the progress
OF Mile Laos county than anv other
one man and that his persistent cam
palgn for good, roads is just bearing
fruit, and will eventually mean svs-
tenn of highways for the state of Min
nesota which will be a lasting memo.
rial to his worth. It is pity. said
Mr.. Bacon, that there are not more
men in the legislature to day who
work for the benefit of the greatest
number of people-the common peo-
pleas did our good friend, Bob
Dunn.
In addressing the assessors Mr..
Bacon said in part:
The value of the service which an
assessor renders to the public bv an
honest, efficient performance of the
duties OF his office cannot be overesti-
mated. 1t is not too much to say that
the justice with which the tax burden
of the state and it's various subdivi-
slons is distributed depends more upon
the careful, conscientious work of the
assessor than upon that of any other
officer connected with the taxing sys-
tenn.
Under our system of government
all taxes are levied either by a vote
OF the people or by representatives
elected for that purpose.
The assessor has no more to do with
the amount of the tax that is levied
than any other citizen, but he is large
~ responsible for it's just distribution.
The amount of tax that one should
pay is measured by the amount or
value of the property that he may
possess, which is supposed to represent
his ability to pay. AS the fixing of the
value of this property for purposes of
taxation is almost entirely in the hands
of the assessor it will clearly be seen
that the work Of the assessor is the
foundation of the entire taxing sys-
tenn.
Considered from this viewpoint, it
becomes apparent that the work of the
assessor is of the greatest Importance.
and that each assessor should exercise
the greatest care to see that all of
the property liable to taxation in his
taxing district is placed on the assess
ment rolls and properly valued. His
office is one that requires courage,
honesty and good judgment, combined
with very considerable degree of in
telligence.
In almost every district, am sorry
to say, will be found someone who will
seek to escape his share of the general
public burden by refusing to make
fair and just return of his property.
Usually it is the person of moderate
circumstances who suffers most from
the tax dodger. He cannot hide his
house if he is lucky enough to own one
and his personal property is usually of
such nature as to be easily found
and valued. This state of affairs is
not always the fault of the taxpayer
Too often the cause has been found in
careless and inefficient work by the
assessor, who has been put into office
through the indiff of the voters
of the district. The result is that the
people Of the district suffer by this in
efficiency and injustice is done to the
individual taxpayer.
The theory Of the law is that the
assessor shall value the property of
his assessment district, and that the
town or village board, as the case may
be, will review the work of the asses
sor to see that no one has escaped
assessment and that all assessments
are fairly made.
After this the county board equal
ICES the assessment of the different
assessment districts. The work of the
assessor should be so carefully done as
to need very little change by any
board of review. It is unlikely that all
Of the assessors of the county and the
county board will agree so closely in
the value Of property that no changes
need be made by the county board, but
there is room for improvement in this
direction.
In Mile Laos county for the year
1918 the total tax levy for all pur-
poses, exclusive of special assess
ments for ditch and other purposes.
was $325,290. OF this sum 1885, 1884, or
1852 per cent, was for education.
$100,513 for road purposes; 1904
went to the state for state revenue.
S42,201 was for county purposes, $780,
e.. - q