The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-06-09
Chairman States that Cut in
Total Levy Will Be
Affected Slowly
WOULD REDUCE COUNTY
ROAD AND BRIDGE LEVY
. Recommendations Would Re-
: duce Levy to Approximately
125 Mill. Thi. Year

The taxation committee appointed
by E. A. Barker president of the
. Civic and Commerce association, pre-
sented its report at the regular meet
ing of the association yesterday thru
it's chairman, C. w. Vandersluis.
Mr.. Vandersluis stated that lin con-
nection with the report it was i'm
Possible to effect radical change at
once in the tax rate of the city but
by continuously Watching the mat
ter of taxation it was hoped in a
short time to get the rate down to
lows: s...l.t
About two months ago your pres
fdent appointed a committee consist
ing of the following members: C. w.
Vandersluis, A. p Richie, A. p.
White, C. A. Huffman, c.. w. War<
field, J. P. Lahr, Quincy Brooks, w.
N. Bowser and A. D. Johnson, to in
vestigate the different levies made
10y the various slevying boards Of the
city, with a view lin sight, if it were
possible to make some recommended
tion whereby the present tax rate
could be lowered in our city. The
present rate is such that there is
little or no incentive for outside mo-
ney to come to Bemidji for invest
ment. ,
Your committee has had several
meetings and after an examination
of the different records, reports, etc,
we offer the following report and
. - :; !. ~ y
I'm 1920 the state levy was 5.44
mills. For 1921 the state auditor re-
ports about III mills, making the
state levy for 1921, four mills less
than a year ago In 1920 the coun-
ty levy was 1856 mills We find
the road and bridge assessment is
about 10 mills as the state has now
taken over the building and upkeep
of the main roads. We find that the
county hoard could raise sufficient
funds for this department by 8
mill tax. There can ba very little
saving in the balance of their figures.
We recommend that the association
ask the county board to reduce their
1921 road and bridge levy by mills.
"In 1920 the park board levy was
mills. The park board at present
has almost sufficient funds to pay
for the improvement started at this
time, and as the distribution mas not
been made fot; the 1921 taxes, the
board will 60 into the year 1922
with practically the entire amount of
the 1920 tax levy on hand. In view
tof this condition, we recommend that
the park board make no levy for
1921.
I'm 1920 school district No. lev
led a. tax of TAT mills. This high
lew was made necessary to pay for
increased expense, in salaries and
also to pay up large overdrage In
their general fund and we feel now
that overdraft having been paid, we
can expect a somewhat lower rate
from the school board. We cannot
see where more than nine months
school year increases efficiency or
economy and most earnestly recon-
mend that the board have nine
months school year with nine months
nav for all teachers and further that
the school board so regulate the bal
ance of their expense that they may
keep inside of tax levy of go mills,
which should be sufficient for this
branch Of the city.
"In 1926 the city Of BemidI tax
levy was 1928 mills. The levy has
been nearly the same for several
wears past. Expense here mas IN
creased the same as everywhere else'
hit no provision has ever been MADE
(Continued on Page 81