Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-08
The New Tax Unu

The brief time allowed by the new tax law
Thy May ist) in which TO make the assess
ment, will necesSitate active work on the
part of our District Commissioners, and o:
the assessors 10 be appointed.
The law provides that there shall be levied
tax OF s1-5O on each 800 upon all real and
personal property in the District, except the
real ard personal property OF the United
States; houses for the reformation OF Offend
ers, almshOuses, buildings devoted to art or
belonging TO institutions of purely public
charity, church buildings and ground actu
ally occupied by sucn buildings houses to
improve the condition of seamca or sol liers
free public library buildings AMI cemeteries;
the lands or grounds appurtenaat to any said
house or building, so far as reasonably neal
Ell and actually used for the convenient en-
joymept of any said house or building for its
legitimate purpose and 10 other, but if any
portion OF any said building, house, grounds
or cemetery SO in terms excepted is used To
secure n rent or income, or for any business
purpose, such portion of the same, or a sum
equal in value to such portion, shall be taxed
against the owner of said bull iings or
grounds; such property as is row exempt
from taxation by the laws OF the United
states; goods, chattcls AMI other personal
property owned by persons dOniciled in said
District, but whose legal residence is out of
said District, and which property is taxed
elsewhere; the stock $50 far as the individual
owner is concernedl of any corporation which
is taxed on its capital in said District: all
property exempt by law from execution. in
Guiding all libraries or books in use and not
held for sale. not over the value of $780, and
all household, store, shop, or Office furniture,
or tools, not held for sale, not over the value
OF $500
The amount collected Is to be distributed
for the purposes required under the various
acts in force in the District of Columbia by
the Commissioners, upon a just and fair
apportionment to be established and pub
Hshed by them. Deficiencies in any OF the
funds to be enumerated in the apportion-
ment may be supplied from any surplus in
either of the funds so apportionei, whenever
surplus exists, but not otherwise
One half OF this tax is to become due and
payable October lst, 1875, and the other half
on April LIST, 1876. and If not paid on or before
the times stated penalty OF two per cent is
To be added upon the then amount of tax on
the first day of each succeeding month until
payment be made. The deductions 10 be made
In the assessment embraces the amount of
any valid and bona fte debt or debts which
any person shall individually and absolutely
owe. Personal property includes bonds,
deeds OF trust, mortgages, creIits AMI all
other chooses in action or possession. owned
or held in trust or otherwise, and such other
property as may be elumarateJ on the
schedule.
= The theory Of the law is that all property
not specially exempt shall bear its propor-
tiOnate share of tax. Its construction and
execution being left 10 the Commissioners,
they will have TO determine what shall be
included in the schedule OF taxable personal
property. 1t is probable that mortgages and
deeds OF trust will be held to be taxable
against the mortgage or holder, and that a
deduction of the value of the mortgage will
be made in favor of the real estate so encum-
bered, held by the mortgagor II is likely
that all deductions will be confined to the
particular kinds of property taxed, and not
be allowed 10 Offset against any other. Stock
In trade or merchandise in store i'm excess of
the deductions allowed by law Will be held to
be taxable personal property. The proper
deductions against a merchants stock in
trade is the amount he may owe on such
merchandise Bonds Of all kinds except gov
eminent bonds. the 3.6j District bonds the
chicago relief bonds, amounting to S1OO Oo0
and the Georgetown steam force pump - 500;
and all kinds of stocks of public or private
corporations, certificates of indebtedness and
all other securities will probably be included
IN the schedule. This would seem to include
poAAuAie ~S>OCidtiOn STOCK, prOn1iSSOry notes
outstanding. credit accounts. bank accounts
DC, subject 20 such deductions as may be
allowed This assessm ant. embracing as il
VIII The entire range OF personal as well as
real estate, requires a complete remoieIing
Of the tax machinery of this District, and
doubtless there will arise many perplexing
questions which will require adjustment in
carrying the law into effect.
The first duty OF the Commissioners will be
to prepare a printed blank schedule of per-
sonai property, enumerating such property
as Is held by them to be taxable, with blanks
Tor deductions claimed, upon which tax
payers can nil up their returns to the
assessors.
There are five assessors 10 be appoin ted
uEder the superintendent of assessments and
taxes, who Will be required to assess the
value OF all the real and personal estate in
The District at its true value in lawful money;
such assessed value 10 have reference to the
cate OF the first day or April, 1s7J, and the
list Is 10 be completed on the LIST day of May
Between this day and the 10Th day of said
month the assessors are to hold daily ses-
sions for the purpose OfeQualizing the assess
'nents and hear and determine all appeals.
The forms and blanks will be somewhat sim
liar TO those used in the assessment OF the in
feTnal revenue tax, and IL is understood are
to be the same as those used In Indiana and
Ohic.