The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-09-16
TAXES TREbLED
and ARE STILL
GOING STRONG
Latest Juggling Of Tax Program
Camouflage to Hide De.
pleted Treasury.

The latest tax boost made necessary
by the eXtravagancy of the league
administration in Bismarck is begin
ming to give the administration forces
I considerable cause for worry. League
newspapers have attempted 70 direct
public attention away from the in
crease by writing columns about the
negligible decrease on land taxes, but
1t is beginning to dawn upon even the
League members that The recent deci-
sion in Bismarck is another attempt
at tax juggling for the purpose Of get
ting more money to sQuander. The
reduction in farm taxes amounts to
only a few cents on each quarter in
the state, while the increase OIL real
estate within Incorporated limits runs
into large amounts.
The newspapers of the state are be-
ginning to call attention 10 the real
condition. The Independent (Fargo)
has this to say on the subject:
Reports from Bismarck inform us
that the state equalization board has
reduced the assessed valuation of
farms from $1,072, 1677, 653 rs in 1919 to
Sl,O36,l63,629, a reduction of $36,004,-
O24. This is a reduction of 31-3 per
cent Of the assessed valuation. In
1918 farm lands were assessed at
$221, 459,525. The Nonpartisan board
of equalization increased this assess
ment over $50 per cent, making IT ST.
O72, 1915 5
Now the board relents and c%onfesseS
by It's acts that when it raised the
farmers $50 per cent it was in error
to the extent Of 31-3 per cent. 1t
should have raised the assessed valua-
ton only 446 % per cent. Having
made this correction the board and all
its toots appear on the platform bow
ing m expecting bouquets and ell
cores. Sure, he farmers are willing
to have the board do it again 125
times in order to get back where they
were in 1918. Three and one-third per
cent out of a total Of $50 per cent
seems SO very small Il beginning. At
the rate Of 31-3 per cent each two
years it will take 25G years to square
up the $50 per cent, if that is what the
%Nonpartisan board wants the public
to understand it is doing.
News also ONE to the effect that
the board has increased the assessed
valuation Of business structures in
Fargo and Grand Forks 40 per cent
and proportienately in all smaller
cities. For Fargo this means an in
crease in assessed valuation Of ST.
7G3,OSS, an actual addition to the
city's tax burden of 70 to Is thousand
dollars. For Grand Forks an addition
OF % to 80 thousand dollars. This
will make it necessary for all business
men in Fargo, Grand Forks and every
city in North Dakota to add this extra
burden to the expense Of running their
business, while the farmers and labor
ers who are doing business with them
must pay for the service just that
much more.
Neither business men, farmers or
laborers were asking the board to
Juggle the assessed valuation figures.
What they want is reduction Of taxes.
When the Nonparitsan gang cuts
down the list of parasites ut Bismarck
and all over the state and quits bleed.
Ing the farmers and laborers and bust.
ness men of this state for money to
keep the gang going as for instance
100000 immigration appropriation t.
keep Liggett in the east working
Townley propaganda and old Wors,
and his bunch Of do.nothings at Bis
) narck, and similar unnecessary ex