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2. Such an assessment in absence of fraud, mistake or <br /> illegality, is conclusive upon the courts. <br /> 3. Value of special benefits from an improvement for <br /> assessment purposes is found by determining what increase, <br /> if any, there has been in market value of benefited land. <br /> The questions of whether the property assessed received <br /> any special benefits from the improvement and whether the <br /> assessment exceeds to a substantial amount, the special <br /> benefits are open for review. The law does not require <br /> that special assessments correspond in exactness with <br /> benefits conferred. <br /> 4 . In that review, however, when reasonable men (expert <br /> appraisal witnesses) differ, the determination of the <br /> City Assessor will be upheld. <br /> 5. Apportionment of special assessments against adjoining <br /> property was a legislative function. <br /> 6. Present use is not controlling in determining benefits <br /> in a special assessment levy. The benefit is presumed <br /> to inure not. to the present use, but the property itself. <br /> 7. No costs may be taxed against the city by the prevailing <br /> landowner in a successful appeal. <br /> 8. The court should not substitute its judgment for that <br /> of the city council. <br /> 9. If the court finds that the special assessment was <br /> excessive, the court should only invalidate the assessment <br /> and the city should determine what the reassessment should <br /> be. <br /> 10. The assessment must be uniform upon the same class of <br /> property. <br /> The above legal principles are best summarized in the 1962 <br /> case of Village of Edina vs. Joseph, Minn. , 119 N.W.2d 809, <br /> but are found generally in Minnesota cases from 1885 to 1976. <br /> III. Recent Important Changes in Special Assessment Law. <br /> Beginning in 1976, the Minnesota Supreme Court began clari- <br /> fying, remaking and revising prior case lair and making new a' ' ess- <br /> ment law not required by the Statutes , as follows: <br /> 1 . In Carlson-Lang Realty Company vs. City 'of Windom, <br /> Minn. , 240 N.W.2d 517 (1976) , the Supreme Court ruled— <br /> that a special assessment cannot exceed the benefit con- <br /> ferred (changing paragraph 3 above) , that the value of an <br /> -2- <br />