The Ely miner., 1930-02-28
St. LOUIS COUNTY
TAX LEVY FOR 1929
VALUATIONS OF IRON ORE PROP
ERTIES DECREASES S6,400,000 IN
I929-ELY VALUATION is IN
CREASED

VALUATIONS Ot lhON OhE rhOH
ERTIES DECREASES S6,400,O0O IN
I929-ELY VALUATION is IN
CREASED.
The valuations of the various COM
munitieS of st. Louis county MIN
neSota, continue to show decreases Tor
1929, according to the figures recently
compiled by the county auditor. 81.
Louis county includes the entire Ver-
million iron range and the larger por-
ton of the Mesabi iron, range and its
valuation is very largely composed OF
mineral lands, with the mining COM
panies paying over 900 Of the taxes,
says Skillings' Mining Review.
In the accompanying tables are
shown Cd the real estate, the per-
sonal property, and total valuations
and taxes paid on iron ore properties
in st. Louis county, Minnesota, for the
years 1921 to 1929 inclusive, with aver
age tax rate for each year, and, CD
the total valuations and taxes of the
different cities, villages and townships
of ST. Louis county containing iron ore
properties, the number Of the school
districts, the tax rates OF each, to-
gether with the valuations, taxes, and
percentages paid by the mining COM
panies, all for the year 1929.
Valuation Decreasing.
The valuations on mineral property
for the past nine years show an annual
decrease except for the years 1928 and
1924 The net decrease in total val
uation from 1923 to 1929 was $6,400, 900,
as compared with $5,400,000 the year
previous Since 1924 the total mineral
valuation for the entire county has de-
creased approximately $43, 100000.
This is largely in real estate valuation
with Slight decrease in personal prop
erty valuation, which is composed
chiefly of stockpile ore. Iron ore prop
critics in st. Louis county had real
estate valuation of $217, ,387 ,672 in 1929,
on which was levied taxes of $14 4,540,-
641.78, a personal property valuation of
$7,653078 with taxes of $537, 1853 .95,
making a total valuation of S225 ,040, ,750
and total tax of S15,077 ,904.73. 1t Is
of interest to note that Notwithstanding
the heavy decrease in valuation, the
taxes increased by some 100000. The
average tax rate of 670 mills for the
county is the highest noted in the last
nine years. In general the tax rates
are higher in the odd numbered years
because of the higher state rate. Thus
the state rate increased from 5.34 mills
to 6.43 mills from 1923 to 1929, and the
county rate from 11.36 to 1914 during
the same time. This makes up only
part of the increase in tax rate and
apparently there was a general in
crease in rate in the various mum
icipal and school levies, which will
occur unless lower amounts are levied
to correspond with lower valuations
Smaller Valuations Expected.
Looking over the 1929 figures for the
various localities it is noted that nearly
every community shows a lower val
uation than in 1928 The only i'm.
portant exception is Ely, on the Ver-
million range, which shows valuation
about 100000 above that of 1923. It
is of interest to note that one year ago
Ely alone showed an increase over 1927
The heaviest decreases in valuation
this year were in the village of Frank
lin, $2,200,000 Hibbing, 81 100000; Eve
leth, 100000; and Stuntz township
S700Co0 All other communities ex-
cept Ely and a few small townships
showed appreciable decreases. The
heavy decreases come in the districts
containing the large open pit mines
which are making record shipments
In the village of Franklin near Vir-
ginia, is located the Missabe Mountain
mine, which has led the range in ship
ments in recent years. Hibbing con-
tains the Hull-Rust, Sellers and other
large shippers; Stuntz, the Mahoning;
and Eveleth, the Adams-Spruce group
With the record 1929 shipment from
the mines of st. Louis county the val
uations as of May 1, 1880, may be ex-
pected to show another large decrease
Mine Proportion Less.
The mining companies operating in
the various communities pay 1920 OF
the total taxes, as compared with 93.3 Zc
year ago. In the village of Franklin
out of a total tax bill of $748, ,297.87,
the mining interests pay STAT, ,465.61 or
99.9%o. In the village of Fraser the
percentage is 99.4%, in Mountain Iron,
98.7%o, in Leonidas 97.9%o, in Balkan
Township $3.50, in White Township
97.1%o, in Stuntz Township 96.7&o
These percentages were substantially
the same year ago. The lowest per-
centages of mineral valuation and taxes
among the larger places are in Vir-
ginia 80.8@o, and Aurora 81.1%o. Other
districts, which are not important as
| to mineral reserves, and where the
mining company percentage Is low, are
Argo Township 20.5% %, and Great Scott
Township 46.3@o.
Tax Rates Higher.
In practically every community the
| tax rate is higher in 1929 than year
| ago. The only exceptions noted are
| Aurora, Buhl, Leonidas, Great Scott
| and Mesaba Township. In general the
tax rates are the highest in recent
| years, indicating that the various viii
| lagos, schools and townships are main
tanning high scale of expenditures.
| In the table where more than one tax
| rate is given for one community 1t is
because two or more school districts
| are included OF the important dis
| tricts the highest tax rates are at Kin
ney 1853 mills and 1893 mills, Eveleth
1922 mills, Ely 104.3 mills, Aurora 102 8
mills and Buhl 988 mills The village
of Mesaba breaks all records with a
| rate of 2183 mills This is very
small community, however, with low
mineral valuation. The lowest tax
rates noted are Frazer 440 mills
Franklin 48.5 mills, Balkan 46.8 mills
and 56.8 mills, and Stuntz 48.9 mills
The total taxes paid on iron ore
properties for state, county, school and
municipal purposes in the larger dis
tricts amount to an enormous total
In the Hibbing district including both
the Village of Hibbing and the Town
ship of Stuntz the total mineral VAL
uation is $96,778,151 on which the tar
bill amounts to SIS, ,29795, an in
crease in taxes of about $1300O0 over
last year In the Chisholm district
including the villages of Chisholm ant
Fraser and the Township of Balkan
the mineral valuation is $31, STE, ,820 or
which is levied total for all purpose.
of 81 ,974, ,381 .67. In the Virginia distric