Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-24
LOCAL EVENTS.
The Board Of Trade and
Chamber Of Commerce.
TALK ABOUT THE COUNTY TAKE.

TALK ABOUT THE COUNTY TAKE
Other Interesting Iteas Gathere,
About the Streets Yester-
day-The Charity Ball.
A joint meeting of the Chamber o.
Commerce and the Board OF Trade took
place yesterday afternoon at the rooms
Of the latter organization. The meeting
was called for the purpose of conferinp
with the Board of Supervisors and the
County Assessor to learn what can be
done toward the better equalization OF
the taxes which are assessed in this sec.
ton of the State. About twenty-fiv We
citizens were present. Major E. w.
Jones. of the Chamber of Commerce,
presided, and Mr.. M. r. Higgins, of the
same organization, served as secretary
MIR. German stated the object of the
meeting. He said that for the last two
years taxes had been altogether too high.
and a quantity of money had been sent
North which ought to have remained in
the county. Secretary Wood, of the
Board, read the minutes of the meeting
of February 18th, at which the Hon
John T. Gaffey addressed the mem bers
on the subject of the injustice of the
present rates of taxation. He said that
all the influence possible should be
brought to bear on the Assessor to
have him put assessments at real values
instead Of speculative ones.
Maior G. H. Bonebrake was called
upon to state his views. He thought
that the matter lay entirely in the power
of the Assessor. "The county," said he,
'pays about two millions Of dollars an
nually into the Stste fund, from which
we receive no benefit except for our
schools and the expenses of State gov.
ernment. The old regime here, in the
days Of speculation, was very expen-
sive one. We ought to have our money
paid out when 1t will help us in the de-
velopment of the section. We pay out
more per capita here to the State govern
ment than is the case in any other State
in the Union. An assessment in the
city here is much larger than in San
Francisco. believe that the valuation
was intended to be on the basis of what
it would bring, but the trouble was that
at time we had too large an idea of
things, and we're willing to give too much
for property. What we want to consider
is the question of what the properly will
produce. We ought to save $3.50, 900,
which now goes to the State"
Colonel r. 8. Baker said that he did
not believe t. at the people could afford
to pay the taxes which were placed
upon them, and wished, with the others,
to enter his protest.
Ex-Msyor Workman was called upon
and said that the condition of the or
chards and vineyards was such a. to % axe
it plain that the value of the production
of the lands was much less than former
". The money which was sent up to
Sacramento. if used here, might have
brought about number of valuable i'm
provements.
Mr.. John Fischer, the City Assessor,
said that the assessment in the county
had been rather high. Land ought not to
be assessed at the full value or at any.
thing more than so per cent OF the market
value. In San Franciscoit it was usually
assessed at about 25 per cent.
DR.. Bryant said he did not understand
the double assessment system. Here
we are paying 20 or 80 mills to the dollar,
much higher than he bad ever met with
elsewhere"
Mr.. @. N. Mason, the County Assessor,
was called upon. He said that it was
the duty of the State Board Of EqualizA-
tion to travel the State over and re-
arrange any unjust assessment. He said
that he knew only one way to do his
duty and abide by bis oath,of Office. and
that was to assess on market values.
Any man who was not satisfied with hie
assessments could go before the Board of
Supervisors. The failure of the vines
this year would reduce the value of much
of the land thus cultivated. As to city
property he did not believe that the
assessment was more than 40 per cent.
Of the appraised values. 1t might be
tr ne that other counties were assessed
very low, but that was an affair of
the various county assessors. Those
who had money in backs were
assessed at one hundred cents on the
dollar for that money-why should
money invested in realty be made an ex
ception. The value, which is set in the
Assessors Office, is that which the prop
erty would bring at forced sale. Mr.
Mason concluded by saying that he had
tried to do his duty conscisntiously, and
that whenever he found himself unable
to do that he would resign and let the
people chose new officer.
Colonel Dunkleberger said that it was
no use to appeal to the Board of Eqnaliz
alton, for all they did when any man
complaiped was to compare his assess
ment with that of his neighbor.
Tne chairman, Msjor Jones, thought
that the Assessor should consider the
possibility of sudden and serious de-
preston OF values. A run on the banks
nd anything in The way of crisis would
have suddenly reduced the value of land
to one. half. This was always posi- ,le
contingency. Such crises occur through,
out the couutry at intervals. This shoulc
always be taken into consideration.
Col. Dunkelberger called attention tt
the unstable condition of values here
| It is not as it would be in old Eastern
cities or in the farming counties OF ths
Middle States.
Prof. Gninn said that the great prob
lem which offered itself to the assessor
was to know what value to put on prop
erty. What was the basis to be-? SOME
way must be used which would not In
volve the possibility Of fuctuation. He
referred to the Mortgage tax as th'
greatest injustice under which the people
are now suffering. He gave several in
stances Of the injustice Of the Mortgage
tax.
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