The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-06-26
THE STATE ASSESSORS AND THE COUNTY
YAXs

Interesting Letter from the Citizens AssOciR.
tion TO the state Assessors-The Valuations
Of Real Estate.
The following communication explains itself. 1t
is highly interesting to the taxpayers OF the city and
New YORK, June "a, 1863.
Messrs EBENEzER BLAKELY, JOHN +. ZETELEY ana
NORMAN NJ. ALLEN, State ASsessOrS:-
GENTLEMEN-The Citizens Association, having in
view the equitable apportionment OF the taxes neces
sary TO support the State government and iDstitu-
tons among the several counties, begS leave 10
address you upon subject within the sphere OF your
official duties. Your Board was created under the act
OF April IA, 1852 to remove the disprOp0rti0n that
existed In the valuations OF property the various
counties Of the State the basis OF State taxation
BY this act it is made The duty OF your Board to
personal estate OF the several counties returned
TO the office OF the Comptroller and fix the aggre-
gate amount OF the assessment Tor each county, on
which tine Comptroller shall compute the State tax.
1t is also provided that your Board may increase
any county by adding or deducting such sum in
your opinion may be just and necessary to produce
Just relation between al the valuations $50 o. real real
power to swear witnesses and examine all persons
and papers which you deem necessary for the proper
discharge Of your duties; and also that the members
of your Board shall visit, officially, every county in
the State at least once IN two years and prepare a
written digest OF such facts as you may deem most
important for aiding In the discharge OF the duties
imposed upon you.
Until the year 1880 the State government and inst
tutiOns were supported entirely by the State rev.
enues; since then the revenues have been insufficient
TO meet those expenses, and the excess OF eXpendi-
lures has involved the laying OF State tax
upon the respective counties. This annual tax
has increased year by year until now 1t has
swollen to $lO,000,OO0. This $l0.000000 and
over Is raised among the sixty counties IN our
state, each contributing part prop0rtionae 10 the
value which the property In 1t bears to the property
in all the counties. This valuation OF the property
In each county was, before your Board was created
and Is now, substantially determined annually by
the local Boards OF Assessment In each county.
These local boards proceed TO make up their estimate
of the property in their own districts without regard
ture perceived that from this cause one county
bore than It's just share OF the State tax. 10
remedy this injustice your Board was created AS
is stated above, you are authorized and directed to
take the local valuations OF each county, ana
from them make up a new table OF values mat
the State burdens. It, therefore, follows that 1t Is
your duty that no local board for the purpose
Of saving unJusty its taxpayers their due snare
of the general burden, keeps down its valuation be-
low the proportion that the property OF that district
bears to the property OF other districts.
The inequalities in this regard that exist in the
different counties of State work great hardships
law under which the local assessors assess the value
OF real estate In their respective districts requires
that such property should be assessed at tine sum for
which under ordinary circumstances 1t would sell.
In this county the officers entrusted with the duty or
assessing the values Of property, by adherng more
other counties OF the State, have run up the valua
ton of the taxable property of this county, while
the assessors other portions Of the State nave not
increased their valuations to keep just proportion
thereuntO.
To show this the following tablea are submitted