New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-26
STATE TAXATION.

STATE TAXATION.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF AssEssoRs-ISEQUALI-
TIES OF TAXAIIoN-oyER ASSESSMENT OF RAIL
ROAD AND BANK NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN THE
LAWS.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE.l
ALBANY, Jan. 25.-The State Assessors, Jas.
A. Briggs. Sterling g. Halsey and John s. Fowler sub
mittod to the Legislature to-day their annual report
1t is interesting to the taxpayers OF the state as usual
ana especially interesting Of bank stock,
great decrease in bank capital being shown Ihe HuoS
ton of taxing church property is also touched upon
They state In opening their report that they DO not
gard II as advisable necessary to recrate IN deta
the statements they have made to the inequalities they
have found in the various counties In their visits, ana
examinations the failure Of the local assessors To as
certain by digcnt inquiry the amount OF personal pro-
pcrty in the hands OF individuals liable 10 taXaon-or
the absolute inoIlciency OF the old and rickety
statutes passed in by.g0ne generation for the as
scssrncnt OF the real and personal property OF
persons and CORPORATIONS and Of the unjust burdens
some capital made to bear others because OF the
want OF Just Laws 70 regulate assessments and the ne
eject Of local in many districts to enforce the
existing laws" The assessors then 90 on TO say:
We have several reports pointed out In as clear and
direct "a manner language wonid allow, the defects ~
the iw regulating the assessment OF real and personal
property We believe the people and their relneSonta
tys in the legislature are perfectly OF the utter
in Efficiency Of assessment laws as the controllers ni
the state for twenty-five years have again and again
called tie attention OF Ne LEGISLATURE 20 .nio
subject But as yer; ttie mas oD Der r',de ao n
though commissioners and committees duly appointed
naost rccoied that All sscssors IN order to
rive at the full and truc value 81 Ia" real estate e re-
CURED 10 assess the value OF the land and hiilding.
thereon separately. Until this ia done correct
assessment viii not made The census Of 1879 Ia evil
dcncc Of the fact that tire buildings are not ALWAYS akeu
INTO proper Goa, LIBERATION by tie good house
and barn are OF value than poor and the as
should give more regard to this IN making ah
assessment.
RAILROAD ASSESSMENTS.
In relation to railroad assessments, they make the
statement given below
The law regulating the assessments OF railroads could
not vel be definite than II row is. The land and
superstructuTe OF certain railroad l. assessed ny sc
300 assessors ana II Is moi iar To lrosue ' rna ~
m"nts are ms unlike "a the complexion, tenn
permanent, ana disposition Of the assessors.
An ius,raton In the town of 80 =. county nnH
inns town has A. 500 acres OF land assessed in 1876.
siii929 lrailroad included. The personal pro!-
crty was assessed 1890. The population IN 1870
was F497 Thus the railroad assessed at mort than
onethrd OF the whole assessment OF real estate IN the
town and OF course, pal more than onthrd OF all the
STATE county and town taxes. Referring 10 the ceil'
Of 1870, Gud the following statistics IN regard To
acrcs Of improved iand. 1852 OF Woodland. other
lands, i.G2l acres; cash Vaine OF farms 10;
farm BUILDINGS and dwellings, $l3i7 90; tola valr %i
farms aud bniidng7. including Dwellings 81 i,S.V'
Amount of sales nom products 81 farms ia l9' J. 800
j23. This shows an Income OF nearly per ceh' ~,
farm products sold (lmount consuned on farms hol
iurludedl. vet the TdlIOdt Is Hane 10 pfyHplc
ouc-thfd OF the Tax upon fiofeIp tillt w ~.
owners and enumcrators In the town valued al
81 go. products OF which were per cent Ihis
single fact Is good evidence that some chansr l. neces
sary in The Law regulating assessments oil railroads ~
web ~ other CORPORATIONS. We tnink state Board
should be- Organized with auhOrity To assess all cor
poTac property In ;hc state, and suggest ht ialrpdd'
and other corporations be assessed uuOn Their gross
reccIps by returns made the Controller The tax
thus derived should be distributed pro rata according to
the value o! the road In the to"hs ana cites through
which II runs.
TIE ovRR-TAxlTIoN OF BANKS.
The Assessors call the attention OF the Legislature 10
the shrinkage Of bank capitals. a. follows:
In the CITY OF NrwYork the amount Of personal prop
criy assessed ~ 1876 was S2lSb2G3l3. Oi this some
-SJ 1916 Wa- assessed bank stock, leaving ftr
al c1ruoTaons and persons slJ3 isl .229. There u
capital but man tell the full and
true value Of the siocki i II good public policy
"a II Judicial gstion Ia tax either National or STATE
banks on ANYTHING more than thcis capital anh II the
capital has been impaired from any cluse ought not
.poding dcduc ton bt male OncrDus tuAatinn
has already caused reduction IN hhhk calAl 10 we
amount S0OOOO0O. and II The surplus Is 10 continue
Liable 20 assessment iuIthei f,ducoll may De Nies,,u
t. the great IJry OF our trade commerce hhd nihU
facturcr. The fact that one bank pd one-third more
tax, IN 1876, than oil the capital ana surplus oi
ln,uranc conf ancs OF the state, i sufficient u can the
serious attention Oi The Legislature To the subject
PERSONAL PROPERiY.
We have heretofore called az, nton to the naiequacy
Of existing laws FOR the equitable assessment Of personal
U:o,rty and expert and observation Incline us
TO the belief that IL Is the duty Of the Legislature 10
mako the law In this regard more Ell ctivc. or to
rc.l MI laws taxing the personal property al tndivli
ua,s A. The law Is now isa matter Tor the taxpayer
Ia decide whether he VIII lee subjected 10 tx "n lc!
sonal property or rot Iic can e'aH9 tne a's'9'ih.
without let, hindrance, or rcnay,n he chooses IHc
assessment 81 personal property IN many counties goes
To- SHOW hat In many cases me owner OF personal io
pcriy chooses not 10 pay tax thereon III TIE counties
named below the cssInent per caplta OF personal
property, drdGcrg corporation Is given opposite the
name Df each: