Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-09-20

almost abandoned the idea, but the mas
terly manner in which Rowan presented
the case of the county convinced ma
jority of the Board that the reduction
was necessary, and we got it.
WHAT MR.. ROWAN SAYS.
Following him up, the reporter fount
Mr.. Rowan in his office, and explainin!
what he was doing, asked the Presiden
of the Board OF Supervisors what h,
knew about getting assessments re
duced.
The interview opened thus: "Mr
Rowan" said the HERALD reporter, "th'
dispatches have announced that thu
State Board Of Equalization has
reduced Los Angeles county ter
per cent. AS you represented
the county at Sacramento, and as oul
citizens all take a great interest in the
matter, will you kindly explain wha
effect the reduction will have on the
county? ?"
81 had hoped, said Mr.. Rowan, "tha1
for this year at least had got through
with any further discussion OF assess
ments, but any information l car
convey to you on the subject l will be
pleased to give. The immediate effect
on the county will be reduction of ter
per cent on everything except money
and solvent credits. That is to say the
owners of all other classes of property
excepting money and solvent credits will
now pay ninety cents in State taxes
where they would have to pay a
dollar without the reduction.
"The assessment of 1888 placed the
taxable property of Los Angeles County
subject to reduction, at $110,00S, 900
The reduction will leave it at 500 ,007, ,12C
to which must be added money and sol.
vent credits and railroad assess
ments or in all about 100000, 900,
and result in saving to the
county the net sum of $4,000. When
the assessment roll was turned over to
the Board of Supervisors we found, after
close examination, that the solid busi-
ness and agricultural property of the
county had been assessed on the basis of
the boom prices to which spectators had
brought imaginary town sites etc. The rev.
enue law of California does not allow the
County Supervisors, sitting as a
Board of Equalization, to lower the
county as whole, and we could
consequently Only deal with individual
cases of inequality. The time OF the
Board was limited and the evil general
and widespread, so that, after consulta-
ton, we decided that we would rectify
as far as lay in our power the Unequal
tiles between individual taxpayers and
make fight before the State Board of
for general reduction of
twenty per cent.
''The fight for reduction was long and
bitter one. Contra Costa county was the
only county that had ever been re-
duced and the policy and traditions
Of the Sacramento equalizers seemed to
be all opposed to reduction of any kind,
no matter how glaring the injustice.
Their idea OF equalization seems to be to
raise all the time, without any idea of
squalizing the inequalities existing be-
.ween the different counties of the State.
Their mode OF collecting data is simply
'idiculous, as it seems to be left to the
vhim or prejudice of each mem Der as to
low, where and when he shall
collect it. And it really seems to me
hat the first thing the Legislature of
California ought to turn its attention to
S to equalize the State Board of Equaliz-
ation by either wiping it out of existence
,r prescribing some positive rules for COL
Getting the data by which county shall
De judged. As it is now constituted it is
ike bull in china shop.
Information seems to be sought after
she manner of detectives and ex-
which should be characterized
oy the formality and dignity of high
court of justice are carried on more like
the proceeding Of a second.class police
court.
Il speak plainly and l will admit with
feeling on this subject" said Mr.. Rowan,
'as was compelled to tell Mr.. Moore
house this year in open Board that the
people of Southern California expected
nothing from him as his bias and preju-
dice against us was too apparent.
But you got what YOU went after?
Yes in 1887 Mr.. Venable and myself
appeared before the State Board and we
got reduction of ten per cent. by which
the county was benefited about $65 COO
in State taxes.
In 1883 Mr.. Mason made more equal
assessment, but still too high, and We
were again forced to throw ourselves on
the mercy of the Northern Citrus Belt.' u
as Southern California has only one
member on the Board of Equalization
and thank God we got relief
The Assessor, Mr.. Mason, encountered
great difficulty in 1887 because of tn,
sudden increase in values and also be
cause of the many resubdivisions o
land, which caused the unknown owner
list to increase to an enormous extent
viz: many thousands; aud our Difficult
ties in equalizing were increased &C
cortlingly.