Epilogue to Mora Post 201 story

MORA — A story in the March 2025 issue detailed how Mora American Legion Post 201 was being forced to pay $7,000 in commercial property taxes even though it has no bar or banquet business. It is a veterans memorial next to a building with military depictions, existing solely on donations.

The story said Kanabec County Assessor Tina Von Eschen did not return calls from the Legionnaire inquiring why the post wasn’t being taxed at 1 percent. Members of the post had told the Legionnaire the assessor granted a 1 percent reduction instead.

Von Eschen, in her response, said the Legionnaire did not tell her when the publication went to press.

The Legionnaire editor called her on a Monday. The paper went to press on a Friday. Her staff also knew the Legionaire had called. She wasn’t on vacation or sick, so five days is plenty of time to respond.

Von Eschen claimed the Legionnaire totally made up that she would only grant a 1 percent reduction. The truth is that the Legionnaire attributed the comment to the Post 201 members, who all got that idea from Von Eschen herself in a prior meeting they had.

The good news is that the local newspaper, the Kanabec County Times, took up the matter. Post 201 Commander Alan Skramstad says Von Eschen worked with Post 201 to reduce property taxes to 1.75 percent.

Thank you, Kanabec County Times, for fighting for your veterans.