Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-07


The Commissioners today asked Congress for
permission to continue the assessment Of 1889
and collect the taxes for 1898 upon the basis of
the assessment made three years ago by the
board Of assistant assessors.
1t viii be recalled that Senator Mcmillan
proposed an amendment which has been
incorporated by the Senate in the sundry civil
appropriation bill providing for board Of re-
view, to consist Of i've citizens, whose duty 1t
should be to revise the new assessment.
When the Commissioner attention was
called to this proposition they immediately
sent for Assessor Trimbie, and the subject was
thoroughly discussed in late board meeting.
The assessor contended that IL would not only
be impossible, but impracticable, for board Of
review to revise the assessment in time to meet
the November payment, which Is required by
Inv.
The question then arose, what was to be
done? Citizens were complaining loudlyof the
new assessment and the Commissioners were
appealed to daily by large property holders to
take some action in the premises.
THE MATTER CONSIDERED THIS MORNING.
At the morning session Of the board today
Assessor Trimble asked to be heard upon the
! subject. He said that the pending appropria-
ton bill was based on the old assessment, and
| he knew OF no better solution to the problem
than to collect the taxes for the present fiscal
year on the basis Of the old assessment.
It was decided to consult the chairman Of the
Senate appropriation committee and Senator
McMillan upon this proposition, and accord
ingly Assessor Trimble and Commissioner
Douglass drove at once to the Capitol.
The proposition met with the unqualified ap-
proval of both Senators, and Assessor Trimble
| was directed to prepare an amendment having
this object in view.
AN AMENDMENT PREPARED.
Later he returned to the Capitol with the fol-
lowing amendment, which will be added to
Senator McMillan's amendment of the sundry
civil bill. already referred to: provided fur
Their. that the triennial assessment made in the
year 1889, pursuant to the act OF March g. 1885, is
hereby continued in force for the fiscal year
ending June so, 1888, and all taxes for said ifs
cal year ending June 80. 1898, shall be levied
law to the contrary Notwithstanding"
THE SENATE AMENpMENTs.
The proviso continuing the old assessment is
intended to come directly after the amend
ment inserted by the Senate committee, which
reads:
That from and after the list day of July, 1892,
the Commissioners Of the District of Columbia
shall annually prepare an estimate, which shall
be submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury
LOT revlslOn ana approval, showing the amount
OF m oney necessary to be raised from the taxa
ton OF the real and personal property in the
District of Columbia as provided by the laws Of
the United States, and upon such revision and
approval the said Commissioners shall proceed
to fix the rate Of taxation at such q percentage
OF the valuation of said real and personal prop
erty as shall provide for the collection Of said
amount, which rate shall not exceed 81 so for
every 800 Of the valuation Of the said real and
personal estate; provided, that the rate on lands
outside the cities of Georgetown and Washing
ton used exclusively for agricultural purposes
shall not exceed S1.25 for every s100 Of valua-
ton, and that the proportion between the rate
Of taxation Of such lands and other real and
personal property in the District Of Columbia
shall be as S1.25 is to 81. so.
Provided further. That the President shall
appoint a board of five members, resident in
the District of Columbia. to serve without COM
pensation, who shall act as q board of appeals
with power to revise and equaIize the assess
ment of 1892 and remain in session for period
of not less than ninety days, and their decision
in all appeals shall be final and the Commits
sioners are hereby required to detail such cIeri-
cal force as may be necessary to aid said board
in their duties.
The Commissioners recognize that IL this
amendment goes through the new assessment
will be rendered void unless a proviso such as
they have prepared is attached. Senator Nc
MILAN will probably offer the Commissioners
| amendment when the paragraph is reached.