Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-10
LOCAL ASSESSMENTS
Hearing Today on the Several Bills
Before Congress.
BOARD OF TRADE BILL APPROVED
Mr.Hemingway CrIticises the Meth
DDS Of Assessing Taxes.
NO A G T ION T A K E n

| Assessments ard methods Of assessing
District property Were the subjects discuss-
| ed at the morning session Of the board of
Commissioners today. The hearing was a
| public one and a number Of prominent
| business men and real estate owners were
present, including w. c. Dodge, Gen. VIM.
| Birney, w. j. Frizzell. Evan Tucker B. H.
| Warner, ]. Harrison johnson, o. r. Thomp-
son. Daniel Murray, Archibald Greenlees,
]. B. Bailantyne, C. B. Hemingway. AS
SCISSOR Tr1mble and Assistant Assessor e.
w. w. Griffin
-Four pending assessment bills were dis
cussed; viz: The board Of trade bill; House
| Dill 4o26, otherwise known as the Simpson
| bill; Senate bill 1890, the Mcmillan hill, and
Senate bill 1499, known as the Huuton bill
With the exception of the Simpson bill the
bills were introduced In Congress by re-
quest.
President Ross Of the board Of Commits
| sioners called the hearing 10 order. He
thought 1t would expedite matters consider
| ably If the board of trade bill were first
| taken UP.
Board Of Trade Plan.
There being objection the secretary
was directed to read the bill in full.
Representatives Of the board Of trade
were present In the persons Of Messrs.
e. H. Warner. o. T. Thompson and J.
Harrison johnson. and they were called
| upon to explain the bill.
Mr.. Warner said the matter was fully
| discussed in quite a large gathering Of the
beard Of trade. ''In the first place, the bill
| was discussed in the committee of which
Mr. Gurley is acting chairman-the COM
mittee on taxation and assessments. In
| the next place, ii was reported to the
board of directors and fully discussed
| there. and then reported to the meeting Of
| the board. do not know what more can
be said on the matter by way Of argI-
ment. The present bill itself Is approved
| by the board of trade and / express will
| lingr ess to answer any questions or OBJ
jections which may be made to the BILL"
Mr.. Hemingway asked If the present
law did not provide for a board OF three
assessors?
Mr.. Trimble said: "No. sir. The act Of
1883 is the only law which is now IN force
| for assessments"
Mr.. Hemingway replied: THE act of
March 3, 1855, but that was changed by an
amendment. by provision in the appro-
| priation bill providing that there should be
| three assistant assessors and, as far as
can see, that is the only material difference
between this and the present law. And
furthermore, 1t seems to me that this bill
is merely a re-enactment of the present
law in most of its terms, and, therefore 1
40 not see any use in recommending its
passage.
In the provisions OF the law of March 3.
1888, 1t provides that property shall be as
| sessed at its true value l am willing TO
state that the elimination of that word
true does not make a particle OF differ.
ence, because that word true means true
statement OF value-means nothing less def
nfte-value Is value / Furthermore call at
| tention to the fact that the board of eouai-
| zation, in equalizing, were required to re-
turn 1t at its assessed value and that is
practically meaningless.
Mr.. Murray's Statement.
Mr.. Murray stated that in 1883 there was
| law passed under which an assessment
was made providing for twelve assistant
| assessors. There was q provision contain
| ing this clause: THAT there shall be three
| assistant assessors. who shall within the
year 1882. under the direction of the as
SCISSOR of the District of Columbia, make
| assessments of real property in said Dis
trict for the triennial period beginning
with the fiscal year lS93 and perform such
other duties and have all the power and
authority to do the things required of the
twelve assessors under the provisions of
/ the act of March ), 1SS3.' Another pro-
vision in subsequent bill provided for a
discontinuance of the three assessors for
merly appointed and the appointment of a
board of review, which should review the
| assessment made by the three assessors
| No appropriation was made for the three
assessors then, and they were discontinued
| by reason of the repeal of that provision
/ OF the act. NOW no Otner law is IN iOrce,
/ except the law of 1888, which provides for
| three assessors. The board OF trade bill
as he understood 1t. provides for three as
SCISSORS. Now the powers of the assessors
| as stated in the bill under discussion is not
defined at ALL They have no authority, ex-
cept what is contained in the bill, and Tn
! less authority is expressly conferred upon
| them, and they were to act, their action
| would be subject to review by the courts
and would be probably thrown out.
No Amendments Needed.
| Mr.. Warner thought that the bill did not
need amendment, for the reason that the
bill already defined the duties of the assist
| ant assessors. Section II provides he said
for the repeal of all laws inconsistent with
it. The bill is a very simple one, and If
passed would enable the assessors to make
a speedy correction in all parts of the city
where errors have crept into the assess
ment, and which should be corrected.
| There is no power now reposed in the
Commissioners to do that or TO modify the
assessments. One of the principal points is
| 10 el'aDie the next assessment to be made
| promptly, and this does not contemplate a
| reassessment for that purpose. but it does
contemplate a revision to be made on or be-
| fore the first of August of this year OF
course that revision will be largely, If not
entirely, based upon complaints presented
and upon the statement of facts and such
| examination as the board of assessors cu n
| give.
Mr.. Archibald Greenlees stated In reply to
question that the bill was prepared by
representatives of the board of trade and
| he would hardly care to defend il until Cb-
JecuonS had been made to il. Referring TO
the word value in connection with the as
| sessment of property, he said he would have
| preferred different expression.
1t is not right to tax properly at its true
Value-market value. There is a market
| able value and value for assessment
he did not want to appear captious but
thought that three wise and lisinterestel
| men would recognize the true meaning cf
| the word value when applied to taxation
| The board of trade, he went on, felt ilsti-
ned In believing that when three men were
| appointed by the Commission .rs they would
| be intelligent men, understanding the object
| OF taxation, the meaning of the word
| value as applied. He believed that three
assessors would be ample to DO the work of
| assessment.
Mr.. Hemingway Opposes.
Mr. Hemingway caused a ripple OF excite
ment when he arose and stated: Gentle
men. am most positively opposed TO this
| bill. If you care to hear me, L might give
| these gentlemen something to talk about
| l think l have the very best reasons for
opposing 1t, and in the statement of these
/ reasons win probably give you some in
| formation on the subject. There is a great
| inequality in the assessments in the Dis
| trict of Columbia
! This is not condition that exists merely
! TODAY but IL Is condition b.t