EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

GRAND MARAIS — A series of “funshops” will be conducted at the Burt Township Recreation Center here beginning later this month and continuing throughout the summer, organizers announced. The funshops, sponsored annually by Grand Marais businesses and organizations, combine a kaleidoscope of learning, sharing, and fun for area residents of all ages. Workshops will be available in creative writing, Native American crafts, watercolors, basketry, clowning, stained glass, photography, quilting, ballet, and tap dancing, weaving, toe painting, and area geology.

60 years ago

NEGAUNEE — In a joint statement issued over the weekend, Reps. Dominic Jacobetti, Negaunee, and Gilbert Wales, Iron River, explained their opposition to the Mezzano bill on taxation of taconite, or low grade ore plants. Introduced by Gogebic Rep. Louis Mezzano, the Mezzano bill was designed to prevent double taxation of taconite plants. “The intent and purpose of the bill itself was not objectionable to us,” their statement read, “but we saw some major flaws in it which would have granted special taxation privileges to taconite plants.

And these privileges would not be available to the ordinary taxpayer, who would be forced to pay the bill on the amount of taxes from which low grade iron ore mines would be exempt. The extra expense of processing taconite merits some taxation privilege over that of high-grade ore, but does not merit privilege at the expense of the individual taxpayer.

Rep Mezzano’s bill specified that taconite plants would be subject to a 2% tax in lieu of all other ad valorem taxes … In effect, this would provide low grade ore plants with a blanket exemption from any increased millage for school construction, or social aid and welfare.” Jacobetti and Wales introduced an amendment to the bill which would have required that the two per cent rate of taxation on taconite plants to increase in the same proportion as any voter-approved levy would increase over the 15-mill constitutional limitation, however it was defeated.