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Some More Pertinent Facts

Some More Pertinent Facts image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
November
Year
1895
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Tne Ypsilanti Sentinel man critiuises the Courier for "jumping on the Supervisors," as he terins it, for "raiaing the apportionment ofthe ei ties and lowering tliat of the townships," after securin the printing of tlie board. Perhaps the Courier errs in that res peet. Perhaps it sliould wait imtil tli printing of the proeeedings is awardec to some other paper, and then be acens ed of saying wtiat it lias to say becaus of ill-feeling toward the board Tha would lend its argumenta strength would t ? But does not the fact tha the Courier makes its criticism unde sueh circumstances prove that it is in eamest in what it has to saj', and be lieves itself to be in the right? Anc that it is not influenced by public pap - if this can be so termed. The Sentinel gives a lot of figures ti prove that the county tax is no higlie in the city than in the county on í $1,000 assesment. No one said it was If the Sentinel will read the Courier ar ticle over again it may ascertain the fact that the assertion is made and prov en that the amount of taxes paid 01 $1,000 assessment is more than twice as much in the city as it is in the count} towns. Our figures were taken directlv from the assessment rolls. If equal justice is done by all there should not be so much differenee between properties of equal value because of location. We claim, withou fear of contradiction, that there are hundreds of farms in this county, upon which a man and bis family derive all tlieir living and Lncome, which pays only $7 or $8 tax, while the home of the city resident, that does not biint. in a cent of income, on the contrary is a conti nual source of expense but is a uecessity for bis family's existence pays from $14 to $36 tax each year, to which is added from $10 to $15 water tax, and from $5 to $10 for insurance. What the Courier claims is that there ought not to be such a differenee in what a citizen has to pay on property placed on the assessment rolls at the same value, because one is in the city and the other in the country. It farther claims that the city property is placed nearer its cash value than the country property on the assessment roll. A table of percentage is given by the Sentinel as as evidence that the cities should be added to every year and the townships diminished. If the percentage proves anything it proves that the assessed valuation in the city is too high as coinpared with most of the townships - there may be exceptions. Perhaps the Courier can show that Ann Arbor property is assessed higher than it is in the country. Here are a few instances : The Franklin hotel property, at the corner of W. Huron and Ashley st., sold a few (hiys since at private sale, with no necessity for selling on the part of the owner, for $4,500. It is aasessed for $5,500. The property at the corner of E. Ann and N. División st., sold a few years ago for $5,500. It was assessed at $0,000. Tivo houses and lots at the corner of E. William and Maynard st., are assessed at $7,500, and the owner has repeatedly offered thein for $6,500. A one-half interest in the Masonic block was purchased a few years ago for $18,000, just the amount for which it is assessed. These are pieces located in different parta of the city, and all good locations, and are not exceptionally poor cases. In fact, they represent some of the best business and resident property in Ann Arbor. Neither are these quoted to find fault with the assessor, but to prove that the property in this city is assessed at near the cash value, as possible, as the law saya it shall be assessed. In fact that that our assessor lives up to the law if others do not. Il the Semiiiel knows of any property liere worth $10,000 whicli is assessed for onlj' $5,500, it will do a favor to our assessor and our citizens by niaking it public. Of course, wlien a person does not care to sell, he sometimes puts a fancy price on his property. Tliat tlie assessinent in the coufety of recent years may be compared we give the increase and decreaseof the ausessed valuation in the connty for the past two years : Increase. Decreaae Ann Arbor City f 1,1 Ann Arbor Toivn 9 M.275 Augusta 4.100 Bridgewater 07 410 Dexter ñ2,45 Freedom 28 490 Lima Tí) Lodt 2ö,315 Lyndou : l3,'20ü Manchester 102,905 Northiield 60,420 Pittsfleld 35,245 Salera 35,390 Saliue 29,Ut;0 Scio 73 015 Sharon 40.870 Superior 23,050 H vivan 71,545 Webster 35,100 York 85,350 Ypuïlantl town 15,230 - cily, Ist 137,550 2d 7,260 Total $ 1 ,71 1.653 $469,440 It will be seen by thest figures that the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti furnish $1,291, 208 of the increase, wliile twelve out of twenty towns show a contiuued decrease in the past two years. For the ten years preceding 1894 every township in the county liad reduced its assessed - not equalized - valuation. The table is as follows: Increase. Decrease Ann Arbor City. 8797,870 Ann Arbor Town $188.595 Augusta 21,830 Bridgewater. 465 Dexter 181,120 Freedom , :.!:." Lima Lodi 146470, Lvniion - __. Manchester 26219 Nortnfield 88,590 Pittsfield 248,665 Salem 101,105 Saliue lül,i;90 scio 37812-5 Sharon 220.390 Superior 96,550 Sylvan __ 158,070 Webster 270,830 York 70,060 Ypsllanti town 83 970 ■' city, 2d dist 37,600 " " Ist ■ 419,200 Total 51,669,070 $8,028,885 The Sentinel in a princely nianuer flings the question aside because the amounts added each year to tlie city are such trilles. Even in that it is not fair beeause in order to add to the city's tax the same aniount is taken frotn the townships. So it really amounts to doublé the Sentinel's figures. Then you know it is the single stones laid one upou another that builds the temple. Single drops of water compose the mighty sea. And these trifles have been accumulating upon one side and lecreasing upon the other for lo, these many years. Since this practice commenced in the year 1883, there have been $5,863,000 taken off the townships in equalized valuation and $1,698,000 added to Ann Arbor City, and some $300,000 added to Ypsilanti's Ist district. Within the sanie length of time the assessed valuation of the townships has been decreased .$3,475,765, the assessed valuation of the city of Ann Arbor increased $1,951,528, and in Ypsilanti ;419,200, or a total of $2,370,728, a difference of $5,846,493 ! ! Here is anotlier table giving the changea in the equalized valuation for he past year : ilncrease. Decrease Uin Arbor City $100,000 Min Arbor Tciwu $5,000 iridgewater 8,000 )exter t5, 0(1 Preedom 15,000 Jma 10,0u0 .odi 5.U00 yndon 5,000 Manchester ïo.uoo Northiield 7,000 'ittstieiii 7,000 Salem aline _; 8,000 scio 10 000 Miaron 5,1100 Superior Vebster s.o.io 'ork 10,000 'psllantl town, 7,000 ' city dlsl riet 50,001) Total $150,000 $ 150,000 The townships of Augusta, Sylvan and the 2d district of Ypsilanti reeeived none of the "divv." There was 110 change in 1894, because be change in the mortgage tax law of be state lost the assessment roll of this ■ ity some $800,000, and we presume a roportionate aniount in Ypsilanti city lso. It was very considerately thought ;o be a suflicient raise for one year. These are the facts as given by the upervisor's ora record. If they do not how the Courier conclusions as being orrect, then we have erredin judgment, ïat's all. a

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier