New-York tribune., 1876-03-11


TAXATION OF CITY REAL ESTATE.
ABUSE F PROPERTY owNERs-1HE CITY GOVERN
MENT SUPPORTED BY THEM-IHE RELIEF BILLS
JUST.
To the Editor Of the Tribune.
SIR: 1t is very refreshing to find in
Ncv.York newspaper thoughtful sympathetic article
like that which appeared in the editorial columns OF I
TRIBUNE to-day, favor Of real estate II has beeh the
fashion for two three years past TO pack all the ms
fortunes Of our times upon hs Important interest," anu
send if into the wilderness like the scapegcat OF ancient
DAYS adened with the sins OF ali the people If the tax
budget was large-al6eit made for street fire. water
notice educational charities and other expenses II was
all nevertheless set down the account OF real estate
And IL The unucy owner OF some uptown lots puudered
hy enormous assessments for Improvements never
made mucted with II per cent penalties ana
tied up and forbidden to either seIi OF IN
proyo by n policy of stopping work" which rendered
either sale or improvement impossible, ~ Nst sucChpeu
and fell into chancery, or foreclosure every Doo1 was
ready 10 saw served him rig, no business to own real
estate" What "Citzens' Association or " Reform As
sociaton or other fraud of similar kind sailing under
similar specious name, has failed 80 tel Us many ,!mcs
how much the parks and bouoyrds have cost the city
all for the benefit oflOOwncrs mp town. ana Vel "haI
one of them all has thought il necessary to say that
there was any credit SIDE TO the ledger and for oOoO
O0Oexpcndcd the city has added more than $lOOOOOOoO
Of property its possessions, every doia o Wcn h''
been paid by these property either by c'c
assessment or by increased taxation based upon the'e
very Improvement
Well the tide turns at last as anybody might see IL
would THE TRIBUNE utter5 the r5t generous sentiment
toward this great and much abused interest II Will be
found that after all that has been said about IT, attcr all
the filings and that have been put upon IT, amor al
the load il has been mado TO carry no interest has stood
ND So well through the depression OF the past years ana
none today exhibits clements Of greater strength and
A.. til vspf1 aud lVpnf a
OF pres. and people alike Of hs great cry dh Hoo mn
same interest Of real estate Ot our n35'ouu'vUu W
crty 600. OF our hope IN the future lot hIhiI
iaxe5 and lesser burdens, real estate afors Ihe Vh
promise personal property on rs niue OF uono IL a. o.
tbc retrenchment bills pTOpOsedn the cE.ature OF uu
OF it, could be passed ntO laws, cuttlng GoWn ] ]S1gag
il would not reduce our take. ny = o! one leT Ge -
ever have any substantial relit II must %, s t
Ing our taxable property and this by chc0utasiht IN
pIoyements, and building. and growth anh not ~ IN
sny on them ~ has been The case heretofore, every
SPECIES OF burden and oppression. and dscouaSemcht
n does not city, then to pluuderli' proper
owners Ty extrayagnt assessments for improvements
wb,ch are not made nor 10 impose II per cent penal
ties for defaults" which lis own injustice mas creaod
nor does il become its city officials to indulge III Official
TRADES or legislative intTsuts against th"t interest
hch pays so per cont of the burdens o e "hoe P'o
What ia now needed IS policy of announcement An
the remedial laws to which you nave referred shOu ne
enacted Foreclosure cXtortOns should cease; lehils
ton against foreclosure s2es, equally Wth Jnn&n'nt
sales should be allowed The CITY should ofdSe 10 De
Insurer upon its own people II II imposes -Snthts
for promised implov IL SHOULD make tie improve
ments notice scheme OF robbery recently nrCtucei
i'm the Legislature under the name OF StTeet op,ht
bill" This business Of street opening mas aiWa!s pcti
pfbtic source OF corruption ana fraud lhhk ll"It
vainy has Jrcticed under II than IN HnF oel de
partnent OF city government The object 81 street
Oucung proceedings i O ascertain ana aNu!d c"nesd
tou 20 tie owners FOR land taken for public usea Sfecs
knew q single street OF less than two blocks to he
Opeued by these proceedings, when the toiu ah0nht
awarded the owners ot the land was NlS. ahu tle
amount assessed 60 them for expenses Wa tZl-z -"
The bl it hat slight mitigation cf thls auuNo
IL proposes tO fastcu annual charge upon uptown
nrorrty o,yrrrs 900 thcUcahputs Tor an lud2h
rite pTi0d to pay the saarcs O various officials com
migsiOners clerks OlCo rent, DC, who are authorized
Ia omen one street at tune. and continue their opera
tOns as long "a pay be made 10 hold out Tue
whole process totally unnecessary Livery street hc
low One-hundrcd-andHiY Yifth can he Opened at one
time by one prOcccdng at total expense OF not cH-
cccjus 900 4 bill Tor that. purpose J. now - IN"
hands OF c same Committee having charge OF inc other
bin and il is 10 he hoped will at once sup"rstdo H.
Nelc York, March g, 1875 D. T.. CHURCH