The sun., 1891-01-29
THE BURDEN OF TAXATION.
ORR STATE ASSESSORS Snow THAT
Tr RESTS on REAL ESTATE

Mes sSrersessi Wealth Practically Esespe
TNzesioa- -rArat.g Lawda Taxed With.
~ FER Cene sf thesr Full Value.
ALBANY. Jan. as The annual report OF the
State Assessors will Be submitted to the Leeis-
laturs to- n orrow. The returns OF several
counties nlsl In the offlcs OF the state Comp
troller show that the assessed value OF real
estate in 1880 WAS -. 29S. 32S. 1851, and personal
S65.32s.l3l. This IL an increase over 1889
OF real Sll6. .224 30j. and OF personal &Sl.0il.-
57o In 1889 the personal paid a.sS per cent, Of
the Stnte tax. and In 1890 ll02 per cent. 1n
1857 the personal paid 25.39 per cent In 1867
the State tax paid BY personal was 81, 1U7. .5T4
In 1889 whom the State tax levied for all pur-
poses was nearly the same amount as in
former years, personal paid N.246.4e0. In 1867
the assessed value OF real was sl.237,7o3,-
0gl The assessed personal was 6,40t.
$685. Based on the value OF realty
In 1890 the loss Of personal In the two decades
has added to tho burdens OF real estate
S729.e09. The total tax levied In 1889 for
State. county. town. and school purposes WAS
$50 563.02s. OF this vast sum real estate paid
over $4,000. 900 and personal less than $4,000.
OoO The full value OF tho real estate IL esti.
mated Al IS OBS. .60a, 900, and personal fully as
much The increased real values IN the rural
districts IL the result OF higher rate of assess
ment. While in tho cities it IL due manly TO
improved and new buildings and appreciated
isss In realty was siaSs7 es 5ss and adj psrsouaI @
sSi 900 900. a total Of tIl3 GsI.Tty
sa ,spS
statement that there Is no improy ement IN tho
value OF farm lands or In the. .nDanrial condi-
70 are confronted with the statement that
forming lands arc arc depretia that sales are
lnifeQu0nt ana tue Industry continually grow
nIi n.
ssiao aud Snsncunbsrcdi lars are ,1H Unusual @
iural Counties we noted for,ysN s nm mortsases
resting uron t.rms in dv. Of it, principal
farms was 75 rer cent. OF their tull value and
tho encumherence axGreSa,ed nearly Their
sssss'%sn'i ssn 10. Canal tho nmr,oss, a. .aan,
!ion while the owners OF muttgnges, avail
relating to exemptions Tor Just det,s. seldom
sustained an enuitable share OF tn" burdens OF
innsiice Of the law soSorainv Tie saompiions "ns
port 0! 1884 Tho presen, law M nermit,, I'm in III" he
ita ownor to be- deducicd from ia value and
allows no such deduction In favor OF real estate
though II DO represented by n mortgage which
IL q specific lien upon such real estate Nc
This statement docs not necessarily lead to
adedurtion ol the amount9 q any encumhranco
upon real estate from its valuation Tor tho pu
pose Of taxation. but II does suggest thnt both
real and personal property he pluced upon he
sHnie footing hy adjustment iu all cases OF any
deductions for debt. 1t is evident tbat rs tho
law now stands 1t il practically imrossb 10
prevent the, swearing OF OF taxes by any tax
payer IL be In willing to make oath and by
means OF this provision OF law many citizens u
large personal wealth practically escape taxa.
ton.
We have from yenr 10 year indicated the
disparity IN the value OF real nnd personal for
tho purpose of taxation. tho defects and unjust
discrimination OF the tax laws in favor of
holders OF personal. and have suggested
amendments which tend 10 relieve realty Of
Its unjust burdens. II may be proper to again
nllnde to EQUALIZATION. l.ecent developments
have demonstrated that til. Connss sioners Of
Taxes and Aseessn-nt do not agree as 10 the
true basis OF a. essment The President tixes
sociates say tho rtle, OF the Tax Com
missioners ofi"e Ia to tax all properly
from 30 to 30 per cent. under its value: that
they had inherited tho rule and had mover
questioned It, This view If tho IN, thod OF as
sessing property was sustained by the sworn
testimony OF several OF he ussessors connec;e ed
with the department. II Is pertinent to again
nsser; that while we have not adopted the
views OF the majority Of the Commissioners OF
Taxes ami Assessments heir evidence tends
largely t. establish tho fact which long nd dill
gent Investigation h"ve enabled us to reach"