The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-12-08

!. L. A.. BOSNIAN, Of Grand Rapids
pointed out that values have reacn-
ed, and tax scales must be looked
at from the same angle"
e. j. Luther, of Grand Rapids
stated that lands are being assess
ed at SIS per acre that can be pur.
chased outright for So an acre. !
consider that the adoption Of the
county assessor system would be
one of the biggest steps forward
that Minnesota could make" he
said.
There are $4,000 acres delin-
quent that will revert to the state in
1888" B. c. Finnegan, of Grand
Rapids pointed out. "It would be a
grave injustice not to allow the
original owners, in some manner, to
redeem their properties, so that
these lands might again be placed
upon the tax rolls"
Speaking of expenditure control.
F. w. DeWeiss, of Duluth, said
that, 1--WE must get back of the
fundamental error in our expendi-
ture system. The answer is that
we are spending too much, and we
need an anchor to windward. We
must have assurance that too much
tax money will not be spend, and
this Is the advantage of bugetary
central and review legislation"
Harry George, president of the
Tax Relief Association, of Duluth,
recommended closer supervision of
public expenditures through expen-
diture control, standardized account
ing, budgeting for all municipalities
and the right of review by citizens
in these municipalities, where a
small number of taxpayers shall
have the privilege of appealing any
phase of expenditure in the COM
munity in which they are resi-
dents"
J. F. Reed pointed out that ex-
penditure control is now a live is
sue, and asked all tax officials
present to give expression to their
views pro and con in this matter.
p. M. Larson recommended that
only freeholders be allowed to vote
on bond issues, so that renters, who
outvote them ten to one, cannot
saddle burdens unduly upon a COM
mun;ty in the belief that they do
not have to pay them.
L. A.. Rossman thought that
more local control of delinquency
should be had, and that every eff
fort should be made to get this land
back on tax rolls. 1--WE must" he
said, "be prepared for the next de-
preston. Any legislation which
seeks to retire debt and wisely low
er taxation has my approval" he
said.
George Herreid, of Deer River
asked the meeting to go on record
as favoring repeal of the one-mill
road tax, but upon vote the motion
lost by small margin.
It was voted, however, to recon-
mend the county assessor plan, and
this motion was adopted. A mo-
ton was also adopted favoring ex-
penditure control of public expen-
ditures.
c. E. Campton, superintendent of
schools of Lake County, gave it as
his opinion, after experience in that
county, that every county should
function as a county unit in school
matters, exempting, however, cities
and villages of 1000 population and
more.
Tax officials were present at this
session from Cass, Itasca, Saint
Louis, Hubbard, Lake, Cook, and
Aitkin counties.
1.-THE state general revenue fund
had surplus of $2,468, AS on JAN
uary /, 1884," Norman A. Bergen, of
the, State Association pointed out,
'but this had been reduced to $780,
sos or January 1, 1882. On October
first of this year, there was an over
draft of $685., 1923. Receipts from tax
alton had reduced the incom gen.
eral revenue fund 5k per cent dur
ing the first nine months this year.
On this basis, it may be assumed
that an approximate deficit of ST.
100000 will exist in the general rev.
enue fund on December 81, 1882.