Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-24
MIR. JOHNSON AND. THE ASSESSORS.

NJ u.,.,x..
! u,. $500 a.. o~".o. Co"sinor
The attorney for the District, Mr.. George c.
Haxleton, yesterday addressed to Representa-
tive Tom L. johnson. chairman ~ the ..Iect
COMMITTEES AZ cbneres. q, inve.,;.a.a a., 90
~s.---.S '. -, !" ~A u.s.
IN 'ne DH'ri0' Vi Coiumoia, reply
10 the interrogatories submitted by him
to the board of equalization and review and by
the board referred. Mt Chairman Johnsons re-
oucst 70 the at,o-nav for ~. Tis.r;,. ,.,..;v.
~ ~. - "a - :. o "a, u' 1870
- '"o power anu 'ouue' Oh 'ne .nree asss.an'
assessors created under the act OF March y,
1881, and Of the board Of equalization provided
for by the act of March 8. 1888.
Mr.. Hazleton states TINT the assessors net
hoyh inls;r;oiit orS n,;,;s.a.;sm - At 49,
are clothed With the e1cins;ys nnver ~ AZ.
terminino The rnle ~ voIn.t;o, r,pSsr tba ,.w
which thew shall annlv in making their assess,
Whether the assessors were or were not Correct
Mr. Hazleton savs "a nov ir,wat ar;.l tor tha reo
so,, that n nav and i;Tsrsnt nile could NOT he
applied without entirely RECOMMENDING the as
sessment. The assessors are now fnnctus
of6cio as such.
MN ,oux.ov,. ,vorr.r
,..'
o"ePfesen'"'i'e 'onnson requeS',inauo
70 the board OF equalization to raise all the as
sessments on land values 80 per cent, because
of the erroneous rule adopted by the assistant
assessors" said by Mr.. johnson. s.fixing the
land at two-thirds Of the value instead of
the true value. as contemplated by the
laneuarpe of the law" Mr.. Hazleton
says: The grounds upon which you seek
to justify your right to make this motion,
tSa. their 1nle on SSup pap.
sequence unless the board are empowered to
hear and grant the motion Won nropose.
The only power that this hoard of eouali-
cation has over the assessment returns ia
to eoualize In detail in the manner
pointed ont bv section @ the section under
which thew derive their creation and authority
as a board of eoualization. Their action il
confined 10 a determination ~ The question.
raised by such parties ma appeal to them for
redress from the Judgment of the assessors
az entered upon the returns. The returns
OF the assessors under the statute must
be accented by them "a final unless an
pealed from by a property in inter
est. otherwise this law would he abso-
lutely imperative. The assessors have prncti-
calty a year in which to do their work, and the
board Of equalization must do theirs between
the first Monday of June and the first Monday
of August Of this wear. It is true also that
the same prfncipIe OF valuation which was
adopted by the sssessors and which ooy-
erned them in making the assessments. must
also be adopted by and govern the board
in eaualizipp the valuations az returned.
upon which and from which appeals are taken
to them. II is NOT a function Of the board under
the law to try or Judge of the rule of valuation
adopted bv the assessors. lint 10 see TINT II ia
properly applied when called npon 10. deter
mine it's application by appeal. The ruie that
wus adouted in The bec;nnino "a the
Foundation of the work mnsf continue
until the work is finally Completed. and
the statute would be absolutely inoperative
unless so Interpreted Now. in the fieht of
the statute and the powers conferred upon the
raise the aseregate yaIue 80 per cent. or any
other per CENT il clearly ont of order by
whomsoever made Let me cali your attention
to page 277 of Welty's Law of Assessments in