The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-09-13
v|BERT DISCUSSES
TAX SITUATION

Fred D. Vibert who recently re-
signed as executive secretary OF the
Arrowhead Association has issued a
parting shot on taxation which he has
sent to the member clubs OF the AS
ISOLATION and which reads as follows:
Lands That Don't Pay Taxes.
The tax situation still requires at
tention. without correction OF exist
ing conditions, forest development Is
strangled, mining development is
stifled, agricultural Development is
hamstrung.
We many as well face the facts.
Michigan, is facing them. In Michi-
gan four years ago there were 3,OO0,0oo
acres forfeited and 100000 acres
ION the skids." In Michigan now there
are 10000 900 acres delinquent.
Wisconsin is facing them. In the
fourteen northern counties of Wiscon-
sin four years ago 100000 acres were
reported delinquent; when the con-
gresSonal committee was here last
month, its chairman remarked that
IS to 80 per cent of the area Of these
counties is now on the delinquent
list.
Minnesota is confronted by the same
situation. The forest tax inquiry
under H. H. Chapman in 1929 COM
piled a list of 100000 acres delinquent
in Minnesota, mainly in the cut-over
counties and very largely in the Ar
rowhead. This year the Minnesota
tax commission published a table
showing 6,500,000 acres delinquent in
the state, mostly in the same counties
In st. Louis county, according to
the Chapman survey, there were 413,-
e57 acres delinquent in 1926; accord
ing to the published list there are
6O5,OOO acres delinquent in st. Louis
county in 1928.
Under the same conditions as those
of Michigan and Wisconsin we are
heading the same way. Northern
Minnesota is in fair way to match
Michigan's 100000 acres of delin-
quent lands. But Michigan has found
a way to meet the situation: WiScon-
sin is finding ways to mend its delin-
quency, and Minnesota could find o
way to prevent it.
So far Minnesota has followed the
same methods that were tried without
success in Michigan and wisconsin
The state has attempted to liquidate
the unpaid taxes by easy terms OF
settlement, the so-called cleanup sales
The legislature has provided that I'M
covered liens of less than five years
standing might be redeemed without
penalty or interest and that older tax
liens might be cleared off for as little
as 20 per cent of their face.
On those terms, in the cleanup sale
of 1928, opportunity was given to re-
deem lands on which there were I'M
paid taxes amounting to $28,000,000
according to the tax commissions
figures. The receipts were 100000. 1t
may have helped in individual cases,
but for the state as whole or for the
cutover counties in general, the clean
up sale is no solution.
This year a similar sale is now in
process. At the first sale in st. Louis
county, 5000 acres and some city and
village lots were redeemed. While later
sales may add to that, there is no
prospect of general redemption. Three
thousand acres redeemed at bar
gain, against 100000 acres delinquent
the cleanup sale was no solution in
Michigan and Wisconsin and it Is no
solution in Minnesota.
It is largely up to these communi-
ties. The state shows disposition to
help. The legislature did what it could
to relieve the situation by these clean
up sales The legislature also took
over 100000 acres in Beltrani, Lake
of the Woods, and Koochiching that
were derelict under ditch liens, and
the supreme court gave a strong deci-
sion upholding the act.
But the state is apt to say to these
northern communities: What do you
think should be done, what is your
proposition? And the state is very
sure to say, What are you doing about
1t? The state will help if northern
Minnesota communities help them
selves
1t is up to us in every way to clean