Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-22
JUST LIKE THE CITY.

Increased Valuations Will Bring Down the
County Tax Rate-AdditionaI Expenses
Viii Not Affect tie eEesult-About Ready
to Hear.Appeals.
On January the County Commissioners
were sworn in as members of the Board of
Revision. Since that time they have had a
busy season, and yesterday completed
final arrangements for hearing appeals
from the triennial assessments made
to the act of 1872 Commissioner
the work Of the board and its intentions
concerning the assessments. He said that,
viewing the revised valuations of the
county fixed by former boards on which the
levy for county and poor purposes is made,
il appears that at no time in recent years,
has the taxable property of the county, as
a whole been assessed or revised as di-
rected by law
At present there are 143 wards, boroughs
and townships in the county. In some of
them as low as 20 per cent valuation is
shown, while in others the percentage
ranges between that and 80, taking
as an index for these figures
an average of recorded sales.
The Commissioners in giving the as
SCISSORS their instructions last October de-
fined their duties, and furnished each asses
sor with a printed record of the sales and
prices of property made in their respective
districts during the past two years.
This has been guide for the assessors and
in all cases the returns of the assessors have
been more satisfactory than in any
previous triennial assessment. Yet in
the majority OF districts the result
is far from being satisfactory and
the Board of Revision has found it
necessary to increase the assessors
figures on land and lots from 10 to
100 per cent in many districts. In some
instances the assessors have admitted that
the valuation fixed by the board was not too
high, but too much of an increase over the
old valuation for them to accomplish at one
time.
On account of the limited time allowed
by law for the Board of Revision to revise
the assessed valuation, hear appeals and
act thereon, and that each taxable whose
individual property is not rated as
directed by law can aid the
Board IN the adjustment of valuations, the
commissioners have provided a blank
form containing statement of the
estate, personal property and money
at interest of each individual. In
making an appeal they are required to name
the price at which they would sell their
property and swear that this is full valua-
ton. The statement must be vouched for on
or before the day fixed tor hearing appeals
from that district. These statements will
be used by the board in passing upon the
valuations. The adoption of this system, it
is stated, will aid them very materially, a.
under the law they are required to have the
books iii the hands of the Treasurer on MAY
L for the collection of taxes. Under the
old system they would be unable to get
through with hearing appeals only by that
time.
As II is, thev do not feel certain they |
viii! lave all the books complete at that
time. Commissioner Mercer SAYS the taxa
bic wealth and the number of taxables is |
greater in some single wards of Pittsburg or |
Allegheny than it was in the entire county |
in 1884, and the assessors should have at |
least eight months instead of, as at present, |
from January IS to May 1 to do their work |
The Commissioners say the total valu-
alton of the county will be largely |
The aggregate valuation
will be more than S400, 0,O0O, 900 and |
will necessitate reduction of the millage, |
the intention to raise |
$780, 600 that will not be on the expense |
account for next year. Of this sum
s235, 900 will complete the sinking
fund of SS00,000, created to liquidate
he bonded Indebtedness caused BY build
ing The new Court House. The balance
will be used in erecting and equipping q
light and power house.
The creation of Common Pleas Court No.
and other necessary expenses will increase
he annual expenses, but, they asserted,
county taxes will still be less this year in
most of districts, than they were last and
n 1898, with the same valuations and $780,
100 less to raise there will be a general
eduction IN cnI1ntv taxes