The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-04-06

Few years have mounted far In eX-
cess OF the increased valuation of
the property, Thomas Hughes, dis
cussion leader in the tax problem
told OF the various methods of re-
form that had been proposed in the
problem OF taxation.
The speaker explained that in
the past few years great jumps had
taken place in the rate Of taxation
and these increases are not con-
sistent with the increased valuation
In proving his contention he gave
the amount of taxes paid to the
state in 1901, 1911, and 1921. In the
first named year there was $15,-
645,3S7 paid; 1911, $3S,747, $50,
while in the last named year taxes
had mounted to s10S,019,673. These
figures, the speaker said, did not
include special assessments upon
urban property for street grading
sidewalk building, water and sewer
mains or assessments upon rural
lands for road and drainage pur-
poses. This shows an increase in
the taxes Of the whole state of lis
per cent during the first ten years
and 220 per cent during the last
ten years-a total increase for the
two decades of 336 per cent. The
valuation also increased from $780,
9SO.614 in 1901 to $2,O2S, 793,71O in
1921. II, therefore, appears that the
general taxes Of our whole state
have increased $74.272,OS3 during the
last ten year period, which increase
alone Is much more than double the
total tax in 1911, while the increase
for the year 1921 over the tax in
1901 amounts to s92,374,2S6, nearly
six times the entire tax levy for
1901" Mr.. Hughes said.
ITO whom does this vast revenue
raised each year go, and who is
responsible for its tremendous in
crease. Is it the state, the county.
the municipality or the school dis
trict? All in fact have to plead
more or less guilty. An investigation
In the auditors office discloses
the fact that every one hundred
dollars paid on the general tax
levy due this year by a resident of
Mankato. will be distributed as fol-
lows: State, S6.05; county, $12.50;
CITY,. $685.; school, s45.O7, the
speaker pointed out in regard to
the distribution of the tax money.
imposts go to improve the farms.
the special assessments go to the
betterment of the streets and alleys
Of the cities and villages. and the
rest finds its way to the Golfers of the
state, one principal item Of which,
the motor vehicle tax, to be ap-
piled in the improvement of state
roads," the speaker continued.
Functions Of Government
rs 1t true that the functions of
our state government have expand
ed enormously within the last
twenty years? Commission depart
ments and boards have multiplied
without number, and each must be
housed in a big suite of rooms.
filed with heads of departments
and clerk and stenographers and
the roads are full of agents and in
spectors prying into all our doing,
and failure Of doing. We are proud
of what the commonwealth is &C
complishing, however. along the
line Of education in the university,
colleges and other schools: in the
care it gives to our detectives and
unfortunates, in its appreciation of
our brave soldiers; in its promotion
of the well being of our people by
the enforcement of health regula-
tions, and in providing sanitariums
for the sick and parks for recrea-
ton, in furthering our welfare by
building good roads and in pro-
tecting our forests from destruction
and our business from corrupt and
dishonest practices; and we wish
the state could do still more for
each and all of these beneficient
objects, but there must be a limit
to even good things Nevertheless,
we have an idea that the cum
brous machinery employed in these
state activities could be simplified
and consolidated to a considerable
saving in expense, and purged of it's
political operation much to It's effic
lei cy," Mr., Hughes continued, out
lining the need for tax reform.
Reforms that have been sought
by the tax commission, included the
selection Of a county assessor to
1.-THE claim" Mr.. Hughes said, sis
that the work of the assessor is by
far the most important function in
our taxation system, and that this
work Is now done for the most
part by men wholly incompetent to
perform it." The speaker declared
that some of the objections to the
local assessor Is that they bungle
their work, and that they are often
biased in placing valuation upon
the property Of friends, relatives
and enemies. He also declared that
as time went on, property multiplies
in kind, and the question of it's value
becomes more intricate, and hence
a just and complete appraisal of il
demands special ability aed train
ing. Lack of CO. ordination in the
work, and inequalities, also cannot
be avoided.
objection to the county asses
sor plan are: first, the local assessor
lis or at least ought to be more fam
iliar with property and values in his
Town dis,A61---r--~>~-1 ~ -
home rui. lated. IFsFG
be more exlgEs.-