The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-04

i
is, to say the least, rather mysterious, if not in
| explicable.
I The New Board Of Tax Commissioners
| Revolution I'm Property.
| The City Comptroller yesterday appointed
Jonathan W. Allen, Josiah W. Brown and Amor
j. Williamson, as Commission, rs of Taxes and
Assessments under the new law making these
Offices bureau of the Finance Department of
the city. These gentlemen are the old incum-
bents, and have already been Commissioners for
year or two.
The bill which was smu gslel; through the
Legislature at the fag end Of the session, took
the power of appointing the Tax Commissioners
of this city from the Board of Supervisors, and
| gave it to the Com. trOller, but with no power
to remove. He is bound, moreover to appoint
them fer five years, which is longer than his own
term, while they can appoint host of officers
liable to be removed only by themselves. And
what renders this law still more extraordinary
dcspotic and. in its spirit, unconstitutional. is
that the junta, who are invested with such enor.
nous power, are subject to 10 supervision, no
control whatever and own no responsibility.
The only way they can beroacled is by inpcach.
ment; but all know how hard it is to bring down
maleiactors in office by such process as that.
AT best it is remedy like locking the stable
| door after the horse is stolen.
| 1t is thus in the power of these thee men
to revoiutionine the whole property Of New
York; most startling fact for the con-
sideration of the owners Of real estate in this
city. Furthermore, as Mr.. Haws, the Comp
troller, has the appointment of these Commits
sioners, he Zone man) is virtually the arbiter
of the destinies Of all the property holders in New
Ysrk We understand he affects to be very much
opposed to this law: but how easily can such
| arrangements be made with his appointees as
will he satisfactory to him, and thus place the
five or six hundred millions of dollars worth of
property on this island entirely under the in
fuence, and, more or less dependent in its value
on the integrity Of four men-the Comptroller
and his Tax Commissioners.
1t is alleged that this is a deep scheme
OF the owners Of real estate down
town to shift the weight of taxation
up town. II this was done in the proper
proportions it would be just and equitable: for
in the lower part of the city property has gra-
dually become deprecated for the last two or
three years, while it has risen in value in the
upper part This is owing to the fact of the tide
Of population and business steadily moving
northward. A few years ago, and the lower part
OF Broadway-that is, from Fulton street down
wards-was considered the best location in the
city for the great dry goods houses Now these
brown stone palaces are abandoned by the mer-
chants in that trade, and there is only
one or two dry goods establishments in that Sec
ton of Broadway, while stores in Park place,
| Barclay street, Warren street, Murray street or
| Chambers street command immensely higher
rents. The large dry goods houses are now
| moving up even above Canal street. The
! difference In the increase of value above
| Fourteenth street is still greater, and this is
| owing in great measure to the recent wild
speculation in real estate in the vicinity of the
Central Park. But whatever be the cause of
the change in the value of property, there is
necessity for readiustment of the taxation. and
new assessment based on this change would be
desirable and fair. But there is no guarantee
for lair play, CT justice, or moderation. The
trlumvirate can do as they please They can
completely rum one set of property owners,
while they can make fortunes for others. As
far as We are personally concerned. we care not
we speak disinterestedly we have about
the same amount of real estate above and below
! Fourteenth street, and If taxation IL redpcod
on one property it will be increased on the
other. But it is to the arbitrary constitution
OF this Board that we objcct-its power to do in
! justice to an infinite amount without check or
mhorancc' Every year the legislation for our
city government is becoming worse and worse
more complicated, more anomalous and more
and more inconsistent with the constitutional
freedom OF republic and the municipal rights
OF citizens. The multiplication of officers and
the increase Of salaries from s47 900 to 500. 900
are bad enough features of the bill. but thew are
by no means the worst There was nothing in
the defeated ''new charter half as obnoxious
as this tyrannical law, which was clandcs.
timely put through at the last moment, while
the handful Of honest men in the Legislature
were thrown Off their guard II is estimated
that the carrying of this measure must have cost
q considerable sum to it's originators: but, no
doubt, they expect to amply indemnify them
selves by reduction in their taxes amounting
to a revolution in property.