Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-03-03
Minnesota Legislative Letter

A similar proposal was brought before
the legislature twenty years ago
when the State Tax Commission was
created. A special statement on the
assessment question was issued by the
Tax Commission Thursday, copy of
it being placed on the desk of every
senator and representative 1t serves
as brief for the county assessor
plan.
"In the deliberate and carefully
considered Judgment of the tax COM
mission" the statement says, biased
on years of experience and study,
hope for a greater equality in the
valuation. of property, and hence
greater Justice in the distribution for
the tax burden, lies alone in the
adoption of the county assessor sy-
stem.'
Accompanying the statement is a
table showing changes made in local
assessment by county boards last
year. In every county, changes were
made to correct inequalities in the
work of assessors, except in Ramsey
county, which has the county system.
in IL counties, real estate assess
ments were changed in every district,
and in % other counties changes ap-
piled to almost all districts.
Percentage changes in real estate
assessments" the tax commission
says. varied from a nominal per cent
up to 700 per cent, and covered an
average of seven out of every 10 as
sessment districts in the state"
Maximum changes of 100 per cent
were made in Douglas, Lake of the
Woods, Mile Laos, Morrison, Polk,
Rice, Scott, Wright, and Yellow Med
icine counties; still larger changes
were made in several other counties,
with 108 per cent in Clearwater; 1872
per cent in Hubbard; 141 per cent in
Todd; $50 per cent in Aitkin and
Stearns; 1873 per cent in Clay 1873 per
cent in Isanti; 200 per cent in Pine;
$50 per cent in Becker; 251 per cent
in Kanabec; 263 per cent in Cass; 800
per cent in Benton, Red Lake, and
Waseca; $50 per cent in Blue Earth;
628 per cent in Murray, and 700 per
cent in Itasca.
Inequalities disclosed in personal
property assessments were more
numerous and more extreme" than
those in real estate, the tax commits
sion says. Changes were made in all
counties except Ramsey and Winona.
They ranged from 80 per cent all the
way up to 1000 per cent, and covered
1888 items of personal property in
the various assessment districts. In
% counties, there were cases where
personal property assessments were
raised 400 per cent, or four times the
original assessment. In Goodhue,
Kittson, Mobiles, and Sibley counties
there were changes of 500 per cent;
in Pine and Waseca, 600 per cent; in
Big Stone, go per cent; in Wilkin,
$50 per cent; in Todd $50 per cent,
and in Rice county one change of
1000 per cent.
But however convincing may seem
the arguments of the State Tax Com
mission in favor of the county asses
sor plan as against the present sys-
tenn of local assessor, it is safe to say
that the legislature will refuse to
make the change. The local commu-
mites are jealous of their rights and
rrerogatives and fear to relinquish
control of the important matter of
making the annual assessments. The
members from the big cities may
stand for the change, but large ma
jority of the country members will op-
pose it.
An interesting bill is one by Sen
ator Bridgeman, which would make
cigaret smokers contribute $750,000 a
year to special fund for the aid of
northern Minnesota counties under
terms of a bill now before the senate
as result of conferences by legis-
lators from the north The bill calls
for cigaret excise tax, revenue to
be apportioned to counties on the
basis of unpaid taxes in each county.
The measure is proposed to furnish
needed revenues for counties handi-
SoPPSu w uClIilquChI tIAOo. "A ecS<A
of two cents a package on cigarets
and one cent a package on cigaret
papers is proposed.
The Crime Commission which was
appointed by Governor Christianson
a year ago to make study of the
crime situation in Minnesota and
recommend changes in the present
laws and which submitted lengthy
report, at the opening of the legisla-
tive session, is not pleased with the
attitude of Indifference toward the
commissions work on the part of the
lawmakers Judge Oscar Hallam,
chairman of the Crime Commission,
has issued statement in which he
says that the crime situation in the
state is serious one and demands in
telligent consideration at the hands of