Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-01-29


just and true value. The instruc-
tions given the local assessors by the
tax commission warn them not to use
an arbitrary valuation for taxation
purposes. If after the assessors have
done their duty and placed fair
valuation on the land, why does the
county board deliberately violate the
law by raising that assessment to
double the sale value of the land?
Several articles have appeared in the
county papers recently requesting the
county board to decrease salaries OF
county officers. If the valuation OF
the county falls below million dol
lars, does not that automatically de-
crease the salary of the county Of
ficers? If the valuation is further de-
creased, does not that forestall any
further bonding of the county, in face
house is not far off? Is not this
equalization noise just a smoke
screen? In the matter of delinquent
taxes, did not the county board and
its supporters a year ago last fall
offer various ways towards the solu-
tion of this problem? What has the
board done about this matter? Moth
ing in constructive way. Nothing
but to increase the valuations on wild
land and drive off still more of the
so-called spectators from paying
their taxes, thus throwing more of
the load on the people in the county
who are trying to carve a home for
themselves out of the jungle. And
now it has got to a point where those
settlers who are not firmly entrenched
will have to let go of their places.
The population of Pine county has
decreased more than two thousand in
the past ten years, why? During the
past summer, a steady stream of new
settlers has been coming into our
neighboring county of Douglas in Wis
consin. There is a reason Mr.. Ste
pan states, ''that your town and school
tax is not affected by the county
board raising or lowering the valua-
tions and that if you have high valu-
alton your tax rate is lower and if you
have low valuation your tax rate is
higher" He is way off on this state
ment and certainly must know bet
ter. There are many local taxes
to which the mill rate is limited by
law regardless of the valuation. He
states, that if the assessors would
bring in valuations somewhere near
the previous assessment there would be
no raises by the county board. This
statement simply proves that he is of
the opinion that an arbitrary valu-
alton should be used for taxation
purposes and this is in violation
of the law. This practice in the past
was the principal cause of tax de-
linquency. He fails to consider the
fact that land values have been drop
ping in the past seven years. He
thinks that an assessment made every
4 or years would be better. l think
it's hould be made every year to more
closely follow the changes in land
values. The valuation of property is
the foundation step in taxation and
as far as reducing taxes is concerned
there is no use talking about rates
and levies until we first secure a fair
and just valuation. He states, that
our school rate is the highest and
that is right at home and there is
where we must start" / do not agree
with him. We should start with the
county road and bridge fund and
abolish the levy for that purpose en-
tirely. There is altogether too much
waste in the way this matter is ham
died at present. The building and
maintenance of all roads should be
vested in the state highway depart
ment. Funds should be secured from
other sources than from taxing real
estate and personal property. l am
of the opinion that Mr.. Stepan's de,
tense article and proposal for county
wide meeting to discuss taxes is just