Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-04-03
THAT TAX PROBLEM
Ijtor Askoy American.

Editor AskOv American:
Like most other taxpayers of the
county l have been much interested
in finding solution for the reduction
of Pine county taxes, both Oh real
estate and personal property, and also
the solving of the delinquent tax
problem, and besides following the
discussions in this paper took occasion
to attend that ill-conducted meeting
held at the Wilma town hall in re-
gard to reforestation little less than
a year ago. There the proposition of
a county tax collector or supervisor
was discussed and one speaker, en-
deavoring to outline the duties and
functions of the proposed county en-
ploye, gave the following illustrations:
Surprising Jim had forty of wild
land taxed at five dollars an acre
and refused to pay same, would it not
be better to have a county man call
on him and say, Jim, you know we
are hard up for funds and must col
lect taxes on the land assessed in
your name" Would it not be better
to collect fifty cents an acre than to
leave the entire amount become de-
linquent?-,A bright idea!
In looking over the delinquent tax
list it is evident that the, great bulk
of the delinquent taxes is on lands
owned by large outside land concerns
and spectators who are not the least
concerned in the welfare of Pine
county, their sole interest being the
profits they can make by specializing
in these lands. Although it is evil
dent that they have made no great
hauls the last few years, it still re-
mains a fact that in the years when
hOme-makerS were COM
ing to Pine county in large numbers
and actual settlers paid their taxes
with which to build roads and schools.
they boosted their wild lands to un-
reasonably high prices, and it is a
safe bet that the same thing would
come. Why did they invest in Pine
county land? Because they consid-
cred it a paying proposition. Why
do they let their taxes become de-
linquent? Because it is paying
They let their lands run
delinquent for a period of years and
then, by virtue OF our present state
tax laws, they pay their taxes in full
at fraction of the amount of the
accumulated taxes and penalties. In
my opinion there is no other remedy
for this situation except to dig down
to the root of the evil and change our
tax laws so as to make it Improbable
to let the taxes become delinquent.
If the taxes are not paid in full
within three or five years, the delin-
quent land should revert to either
the state or the county, and then be
advertised as homestead land. We
all know that the main force in build
ing up Minnesota to what it is at
present were the homsteaders and
pioneers who came here not to make
profits in buying and selling land,
but to make their~homes on the bar
rem prairies or in the cut-over dis
tricts. They were given their land
as homesteads. improved these lands
and paid their taxes. and there is no
reason why the sons and daughters
of Pine county settlers of today should
not make just as good and industrious
pioneers and home builders if they
are given q fair chance.
Our county expenses have become
large and likely will not be reduced
materially. but a denser population
of the county will reduce the burden
of the individual taxpayer. Give the
prospective settlers and home makers
more inducement to come and locate
in Pine county, and they will solve
our financial difficulties.
True, the county commissioners are
trying to reduce taxes, having refused
the Farm Bureau appropriation and
reduced the appropriation to the
county fair. Recently they made a
further cut in their operations by re-
ducing the wages to be paid to labor
employed by the county to 25c per
hour This last item reminds me
very much of President Wilson's
statement in regard to prohibition:
"A wrong way of doing the right
thing"
1t seems to me that there could
be no better time to discuss these
things than right now-before cleo
ton.
LUDWIG MADSEN.
Askov, Mimi.