Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-16
OF NO POSSIBLE USE
The Board of Trade Assessment Bill
Should Not Be Amended.
OUTSIDE APPEALS BOARD NOT WANTED
Protesting Against Discrediting the
Proposed Assessors.
BONE MINOR AMENDMENTS

The board of trade assessment bill was
again considered by the Commissioners
this morning in conjunction with a commit
tee from the board of trade
1t will be recalled that at the last meet
ing of the board of Commissioners an
amendment was discussed whereby a sepa-
rate and distinct board of appeals was to
be recommended, composed of the assistant
assessor and the Inspector of buildings, to
decide all points raised by dissatisfied prop
erty owners against the assessment made
by the permanent board of assessors. The
bill recommended by the board of trade
made provision for board of this kind.
with the difference that it's membership
should be made UP from the board of
SCISSORS There was some objection to this
at the public hearing given to the bill. which
lee the Commissioners TO discuss an amend
r,ent providing for a separate board of ap-
pGals.
When the board of trade held its last
meeting this amendment was the subject of
considerable discussion, and a committee.
composed of Messrs Archibald Greenlees,
b II. Warner, John Joy Edison, W. c.
Dodge and j. b. Wight was appointed to
confer with the Commissioners upon this
subject.
The time for the hearing was set for this
morning ct IL O'Clock. but it was nearly
noon wheE Commissioner Ross called the
there were present the collector OF taxes,
f g. Davis: assessor Trimble and Assist
ant Assessor Griffin.
Commissioner Ross stated before the
committee presented its case that the Com
misSlCnerS had informally discussed the
matter Of providing for separate board of
appeals. but would like it understood that
they had not fully decided TO recommend
such board in their report to Congress
upon the bill.
Opposes an Outside Board.
Mr.. Archibald Greenlees, on behalf of the
board of trade, was the first speaker. He
said since the last hearing before the Com
missioners :he board of trade had held
meeting. The subject of assessment had
occupied large portion of the meeting,
and the proposed amendments of the Com
missiOnerS had been thoroughly discussed.
1t unanimously decided there that any
change in the bill looking 10 a separate
board Of appeals would be detrimental The
board Of trade bill had carefully provided
for board Of appeals that would be thor
oUghly and entirely competent. The bill
provided that there should he no Individual
assessment, hut that the board of assessors
should act together. This insured an un-
prejudiced assessment. There was no
reason why the board Of revision. as pro-
videi for in the board Of trade bill. could
not act impartially. If the Commissioners
placed a board with absolute power to
change the assessment over the board OF
assessors it was saying plainly that they
discredite1 the gentlemen who made the
assessment. II the puOlic was given to un-
derstand that the assessment was not bind
ing hundreds of petty complaints would be
flied. and the object sought would never be
attained. He stated further that the hoard
of trade had unanimously adopted the edi-
torial printed in yesterdays Star as its pO-
sitiOn the pending bill, and he accord
ingly submitted il as part of his remarks.
Mr. Il. H Warner subscribed TO wnat
Mr.. Greenlees said. The board of trade
seemed to be alarmed, he went on, at the
item which appeared in the newspapers in
which IL was stated that the Commissioners
were considering the advisabihty OF recon-
mending a separate board of appeals.
To straighten Inequalities.
Mr. John Joy Edson said while he had
differed somewhat from other members of
the board of trade regarding this assess
ment BILL he was substantially in favor of
It He had, however, never been in ravor
of a board of appeals The bill providing
for a permanent board of assessors is
different from anything ever attempted
before 1t obviated the necessity of a
board Of appeals. With the permanent
board of assessors, the citizens were al
ways in a position to so before II and have
mistakes rectifed. For years he said,
there had been gross inequalities in the
assessments. This was due, he had no
doubt. to sectional feeling. Men were ap-
pointed from each section to make the
asses ssnent. When they came together the
other members yielded to the wishes of the
representatives of a particular section and
In that way the grossest kind of inequali-
ties c-ept into the assessment.
1T was sort of Senatorial courtesy"
interjected Mr. Ross.
Mr.. Edison said he thought IL would take
at least two years to properly make the
assessment. and at least three years to
properly straighten IL out. He supported
the bill in substance, and believed IL
adopted by Congress. 1t would be a long
step toward correcting existing evils His
idea was that the board of appeals should
be composed Of the assessors, and they
should be held TO strict account The
assessor should be at the head of this
board, but should have nothing to do with
the assessment Of property.
In conclusion he stated that the moro
care the Commissioners exercised in the
selection Of members of this board of per
manent assessors the better would be the
assessment
Longer Time.
Assessor TrinlbIe stated he would like to
propose a couple OF minor amendments to
which he thought there would be no obtec-
tion on the part OF the board of trade. He
proposed that the year 1885, in section p
be stricAen out. This section provides that
the revised assessment. when made shall
remain in force until the new assessment
u made in 1896 Mr.. Trimble thought this
misleading, and said the section should be
amended by striking out the year 1896.
There was no objection to this. He then
called attention TO the brief period of two
months allowed the board Of equalization
to eqCaliZe the assessment These months,
June and July. are not suitable. In the
hrst place a large number Of the taxpayers
are out OF town. and, again, two months
was altogether too short time allowed.
he thought the board should begin to sit
on the first Monday IN February and con-
tinUe until the first Monday in June.
Commissioner TrueSdeil thought the
should have
gested that 1t be given until the lst of
July.
MIR. Edison said he was in favor of giving
the board all the time possible. In fact, he
thought IL should sit until as near the time
Tor tne final return of the assessment as
possible.
Ihe Commissioners promised to give the
Recommendations of the board of trade
careful consideration before finally report
ing the bIli 10 Congress.