The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-04

The Looted City.
President BARKER OF the Tax Department
furnished to THE Sun OF yesterday specific
facts as to the robbery OF this city for the
benefit Of the interior counties OF the State.
Those facts and an explanation OF the
methods by which the outrage Ia accom-
plishetl we're obtained by an agent OF the
department who has spent months In In
vcstigatlng the subject and In visiting
different parts OF the State Tor the purpose.
Az 10 we'll known. this city has been made
to pny IS per cent. ofeall the State taxes.
To create a protcxt for imposing this un-
eoual burden on New York. as compared
with tho country outside. the State Board
sor the Equalization OF Taxes has added
regularly md perslstently from sl00.OC0.0 600
~ Si27, 100000 to the assessed value OF rrnl
estate In tho city rs fixed by the municipal
Tux Department.
Against this arbitrary and outrageous
proceeding tho municipal officers and the
property owners have been powerless.
They could only submit to tho injustice.
Moreover. thcy could present no facts and
no "details going to prove tho precise char
scter aud extent OF tho discrimination.
These proofs. however. huve now been OBJ
tanned by this travelling agent. and they
arc both shameful and indisputnblc. He
has discovered that while tho valua-
tioA hus been increased for this city by
the State Board. 1t has been decreased
moro heavily for the country. The re-
duction In the valuation for tho coun-
Ayy. ,wssS-s1sG. $40, 7o5. and ,343 was
ydded TO the city valuation. The reduction
for Albany county was IL per cent. for
Broonie. "A; Cattaraugns. %: Erie. IA: JEFF
o,son. 90: Monroe. "a: Niagara. IL: Onon-
daga. Is; Ontario. IS: Rensselaer,. a: st.
I.awrcnco. 20: Steuben, q. In New York
tho increase was per cent. or. In round
figures. $l22, 100000.
The tax officers Of this city had long pro-
tested generally against so fragrant nm out
rlge. aud last yenr some Of these facts and
figures were laid before the state Board In
support OF tho protest. The Board was
forced by Tho merest decency TO promise
roparation OF the wrong. But the promise
was not kept. Our values were increased
by moro than size. 900. 900. and the robbery
repeated. In only ono year out OF the last
ten has this addition been less than $780,
OO0,OOO. As there Is no appeal from the
decision Of the State Board. our tax
payers have to submit to a heavy taxa
tion which the municipal officers are un-
able to reduce. but for which they are held
responsible by those who are ignorant Of
the facts.
New York not only pays its own way. but
is also forced to pay As per cent. Of the cost
OF supporting all the rest Of the State: and
It receives nothing In return. The country
xets tho whole benefit. For instance. we
must pay every cent Of the cost OF our own
armories. and also 45 per cent OF the cost OF
all armorics built in the interior counties.
wo must support our own insane. and pay
In addition nearly half the cost Of taking
care Of the insane in other parts Of the
State. We must pay for the teaching Of
orr own children and the country children
also. Yct the country unloads on the city
all OF her paupers aud insane who can be
driven or transported here. to be supported
by US wholly.
Those are the facts. In them lies the ex-
PLANTATION OF the heavy tax bills against
which tho owners Of property In the city
cry out. The taxation Is not required for
tho needs OF the town. but is imposed on it
10y systematic oxaction for the benefit Of tho
rest e: tho State.
We can look only to the State Board for
tho Equalization Of Taxes to prevent the ex-
tortion aud protect us against the criminal
conspiracy against our rights. We ought
not be forced 10 look In vain much longer.