Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-10

L nave prepared a bill which / think Will
remedy the evils all along the line"
Mr.. Warner asked If the bill he referred
to was not the Simpson bill, and If he was
not the author of ii.
Il am" replied Mr.. Hemmingway, "and
L believe that the bill will cure the difficulty
and make equal assessments, and | will
state some reasons why. / provide for an
annual assessment in my bill instead of a
triennial assessment. That is necessary on
account of the rapid changing of values in
the District of Columbia. Annual issess-
ments Will make provision for any errors
that may occur. There has been great
deal of complaint against over assessment
of property. 1 very much doubt that there
is single case of over assessment in the
District of Columbia. There is the grossest
inequality. There is property which is
sessed at per cent of its market value, and
there is other property which is assessed
at 100 per cent of its market value. One
owner would pay twenty times much
taxes as another person. l think the funda-
mental defect in the present law is its in
definiteness in stating what shall be as
sessed.
AS to the question of true value, the word
true is supsrhuous. Value means a true
statement of value. / believe ii would be
better to get more definite term, and, af-
ter long consideration, L have come TO the
conclusion that the proper phrase would be
1.-THE highest current market value" Cur
rent at the time the assessment was
made, and market, the price which it would
bring in the market"
How about ascertaining the value of
property as returned at the highest mar
ket Value?" asked MIR. Truesdell IAN as
sessment of 1 1-2 per cent would produce
an excessive revenue. That is not desira-
ble."
Taxation Rates.
Mr.. Hemingway replied that the Commits
sioners should be empowered annually to
fix the tax and not setting l-2 per cent
as the unchanging rate. In my Lill have
fixed several minirlums below which as
sessments should not be made and IL the
asses sments produce too much revenue
they could easily be corrected by changing
the rate. Real estate should be assessed
at ten times its rental value, and i believe
this would be acceptable. for there were
few instances where any property is not
worth considerable more than ten times
what it's renting for.
Wants an Increase.
Mr.. Weller was the next speaker He said
in the main he believed in a permanent
board of assessors. The people did not
want to return to the old plan of picking
up assessors at s. per day. and getting a
different set of men each time. He did not
believe that three assessors were sufficient
to do the work required Of them. He had
the word of the assistant assessor that the
number was insufficient. and he believed
at least five men were necessary. If five
were appointed, he would not change the
method of making the assessment, but
would certainly change the method of ap-
peal 1t was departure from the demo-
cratic principles of representation to choose
the assessors from one section.
He thought the rights of the different
sections of the city she uld be preserved and
each section allowed to appoint its own as
sessor.
Mr.. Warner stated that the subject Mr.
Weller referred to was thoroughly discuss
ed by the board Of trade, but IL was thought
that all questions Of sectionalism should be
a of fbxa ia ha1s2
that five assessors, or even seven would be
acceptable, but Ii was not thought that
Congress would sufficiently appropriate for
this many.
Question of Sections.
Mr.. Weller said the term "sectionaIism"
was a sweet morsel to turn over in ones
mouth. He believed in the welfare Of the
whole city, but thought IL should be pre-
sumed that a man who lives in a particular
section is more familiar with the property
values in that locality than one who lives
In another part of the city. If Just as
sessment is wanted, he believed the geo.
graphical distribution of the assessors
should not be lost sight of.
He did not believe the Commissioners
should have the right to appoint the as
SCISSORS from one section. 1t would be
safeguard 10 the Commissioners If IL were
provided in the bill that only one assessor
should be chosen from enc section. Then.
again. their tenure of office should be made
years. Then they could act fearlessly and
not being afraid OF being kicked out of
office. He was opposed to an annual as
sessment for the reason that il would
down. triennial assessment was the proper
thing.
A COIloquy.
Yes, the proper thing for the spsculator,"
interposed Mr.. Hemingway
We'll, sir; put 1t that way # you pleas
retorted Mr.. Weller, but don't lose sisht
of the fact that it is owing 10 the specu-
lator more than any one else that We have
such fine city,
Continuing Mr. Weller said he w,s on-
posed to the provision in the bill REGARDING
appeals. The appellate court was not prop
erly constituted. 1t should not certainly be
composed OF the very men against whose
assessment the people were appealing
Mr.. Greenlees said there were two obiec-
tions to a board of FIVE assessors The 1rst
was the cost and the second was the ns1-
uonal feeling the appointments would stir
up Just as soon as il is made mandatory
that each section shall be represente3 ,nst
so soon will there be causes of complaint
Each man would take care of his par.ieu-
lar section. and after doing this would think
his duty over. When anything is nut into
legislation that smacks of sectionalism n is
time TO call a halt. He disagreed with Mr.
WeHer as TO the incompetency of three
assessors to do the work. II the number
were increased to five there would be no
advantage gained. A body OF three men
could view property equally as fast as five
Mr.. w. c. Dodge said that the board OF
trade in drawing the bill had failed TO make
provisions for the terms Of office of the
assessors. 1t would be poor policy, indeed
to turn them all out together. He thouyht
they should be appointed for one. two and
three years respectively, so that the Dis
trlct would reap the advantage of the ex-
perlence or the men. He believed In a per-
manent board of assessors and a separate
board or appeals. For the past fifteen wears
the District has been subjected TO the most
Outrageous assessments. He gave several
examples from the last returns showfng
how property had been underVaiued
The meeting then adjourned
Acts Approved.
The President has approved the Joint reso
luton authorizing Gen. o. o. Howard
United States army to arcen; tho daoor, g.,