The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-09-09
WHO OWNS THE DELINQUENT
LANDS IN The STATE?

Conflicting views relating to the
ownership and development of tax de-
linquent lands have been expressed
quite generally since the appointment
of the land Utilization Committee by
Governor Olson. This committee is
composed of L. D. Coffman, chairman;
John I. Levin, secretary; E. G. Hall,
Mrs. James Thurston, Judson L.
Wicks, Raphael zon, A. j. Olson, c. K.
Blandin and r. L. Griggs.
This committee is composed of men
and woman selected from all
parts of the state and representing
varied industries and professions and
are what is known as of a cosmo-
politan makeup and it is their desire
to arrive at some decision, if possible,
on the matter of lands which revert
back to the state as tax delinquent and
will hold meetings at several places for
the purpose of listening to those who
may have something to offer on the
subject.
On Monday, September IL, the COM
mittee will meet at Bemidji that even
ing at 7:30 and at 900 o'clock the fol-
lowing morning. Leaving Bemidji
they will travel through the Chippewa
National Forest to Grand Rapids where
a hearing is scheduled for 7:3O that
evening and at 500 the following
morning.
The hearing in Duluth will be held
at $3.50 on Thursday, September is, at
a place to be arranged by the Chamber
of Commerce. The hearings in Duluth
will close with an afternoon meeting at
200 o'clock. On Friday the party will
leave for ST. Paul via points in Wis
consin under the direction of Adjutant
General Immel of the state of Wis
consin to inspect emergency conserva-
ton work.
Secretary Levin has sent us an out
line of conflicting views relating to the
ownership and development of tax de-
linquent lands in the forest area of the
state with the view that these con-
aicting views will needs be reconciled
a. PAo64SHo Ia W NC A4ldoC dllQ llClp IS.
ceived from the next legislature.
The committee is anxious to have
representatives of the various groups
interested in the subject of land util-
ization appear before them at the hear
ings at Bemidji, Grand Rapids and
Duluth. 1t is desired that county COM
miSsioners, superintendent of schools.
members of the legislature, landowners,
representatives of civic organizations
and chambers of commerce, settlers and
others interested and able to contribute
something to help the committee in the
work, appear at these meetings.
The conflicting views as outlined by
Secretary Levin are as follows
Who owns the tax delinquent land in
Minnesota? The township the school
district, the county, or the state?
This land originally belonged to the
United States. Some of it was granted
to the state of Minnesota, about five
millions of acres, school and swamp
lands. The state has sold about half
of this to settlers. Some of the land
owned by the United States was home
steaded by settlers. Some of it is still
owned by the United States. So that
all of this land got into the hands of
private owners through the State Of
Minnesota and the United States.
Counties, townships, and school dis
tricts have been organized under the
lQnc nf Ioo cfoto xr,Iia t.
ereign, and have been permitted to
levy taxes for local governmental pur-
poses, and in the process of tax COL
lection, taxes so levied have been per-
mitted to be lien against the land, so
that when the land is sold to an actual
buyer for taxes, all taxing subdivisions
have been reimbursed out of the amount
received for the sale of the land in
proportion to their tax levy interests.
The procedure under the tax laws is
as follows: The townships, counties,
school districts and the state levy taxes
on this land, which, under the law, are
lien upon the land. If, as, and when
the taxes are sold to an actual buyer,
such buyer acquires what is called a
tax title, subject to redemption. The
money paid, except the penalty, is ap-
propriated to the various taxing sub
divisions having a tax lien. Tax de-
linquent land not sold to an actual buy
er is carried on the tax rolls as bid in
for the State, but is subject to sale to
an actual buyer by assignment of the
states rights, at any time, which also
gives the actual buyer a tax title sub
ject to redemption. Tax delinquent
land carried on the tax rolls sold to an
actual buyer and bid in for the State"
is assessed and taxed each year the
same as if taxes were not delinquent.
Under this method of tax collection,
large areas of land in the forest area
of the state were not sold to actual
buyers but were Bid in for the State"
and have been held in that way with
out sale or assignment for many years,
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