The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-10

port Of the Committee oil heviAon'
The report of the Commissioners appointed
| by the Governor to revise the laws for assess
ment and collection of taxes in the State have
submitted their report, which has been laid
before the Legislature. 1t is an exhaustive
document, of much interest to the people, but
| its extreme length has prevented its publica-
| ton in the HERALD. 1t has long been adj
mittei that our tax system is very defective,
and that radical change in existing laws is
desirable, both to effect q more equal
and perfect assessment Of real estate and to
remove the serious objections that exist IN
regard to the taxation of personal property.
The Committee have evidently performed their
labor with diligence and intelligence, and If
all their suggestions do not receive popular
approval, they have at least succeeded in max
ing more clear and distinct the defects in our
present laws, and in affordng the Legislature
many useful practical suggestions for their
amendment.
Every taxpayer is interested in securing an
equal and full assessment of real estate for
the purpose of taxation. 1t is a fallacy for
any owner of property to suppose that he is
saving money if he has succeeded, by favorit-
ism or sharp practice, in securing an under
valuation. The defective system that enables
him to do this gives his neighbors an equal
opportunity to evade a genuine assess
ment. If the whole real estate in
New York, in the cities and in the
country, were assessed at its actual value,
the percentage of taxation would be less than
it is, even in cases where property is greatly
undervalued. The Commissioners seek to
insufficient valuation by proposing in the new
code of tax laws submitted with their report
such stringent provisions as will, in their be-
lief, serve to secure the enforcement Of the
rule that all real estate shall be assessed
throughout the State at its real market value
New York city, which bears large share Of
the burden of general taxation, suffers the
greatest injustice under the present system,
because property here is assessed much nearer
to its market value than is property in other
parts of the State. From 1861 to 1870 the
increased valuation of the State reached for
ty-seven and half per cent, but nearly all
this was realized in the cities of New York
and Brooklyn. Excluding the two counties Of
New York and Kings, the increase would only
have been eight and half per cent; yet the
increase of population in the other parts
of the State was almost as great as in these
two counties during the same period.
The lowest point of valuation is found in some
farm lands, and in some instances it is down
to fourteen per cent of the actual market value
of the property. The average valuation oil
over the State for assessment is but forty per
cent of the actual value.
That reform is needed in this direction
must be evident to all, and, as we have said,
every taxpayer would be benefited by full
and uniform valuation, as the average per
centage would be thereby greatly re-
duced. The new laws proposed by the COM
mttee might, and probably would, secure
that desirable object; at all events they are
deserving of attentive consideration, coming
from able men, who have carefully examined
the subject and are earnest in the work they
have undertaken. In regard to the efforts to
|
the committee speak out boldly and distinctly
The attempt has been farcical and disgraceful,
and the evidence of its failure, they declare,
is most conclusive. A strong array of facts
and elaborate reasoning support this PROPOSE
ton, and the Commissioners arrive at the
conclusion that the present system of per-
sonal taxation is a violation of the principles
of constitutional government. Without fol-
lowing them through their argument, we may
say that the existing taxation of personal pro-
perty is universally known to be farce. The
system is unequal, unjust and inefficient as well
as arbitrary and inquisitorial, and the people
would be glad to see it abolished altogether
rather than continue in its present shape. Still,
personal property should bear its just share of
the public burdens, and the propositions of
the Commissioners are that oil moneyed cor
porations of every kind shall be taxed in &C
cordance with the present laws, and that
every occupier of dwelling or building shall
pay tax upon three times the actual rental
value of his premises in lieu of any taxation
of personal property, as at present existing.
The Commissioners argue to show that this is
a fair estimate of mans personal wealth,
and assert that wherever high rentals
prevail-in great business or fashionable
localties-the largest amount Of per-
sonal property is represented We can
see many objections that may be
| made to this novel proposition, especially in a
crowded city where the rental Of moderate
sized houses and stores in respectable but moi
first class locations are likely to be unduly
high as compared with more valuable property
but the subject is SO important as to deserve
more careful aud thorough consideration thar
we can now bestow upon it. The report is ar