The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-15
SUPERVISORS FILE
A STRONG PROTEST
A Special Meeting Called
to Discuss the Tax
Levy.
SHARP LANGUAGE USED.
Chairman Taylor of the Finance
Committee Is Very
Angry.
NO REMEDY IS AVAILABLE.
Resolutions Passed Condemning the
State Board of Equaliza.
ton.
NO REMEDY IS AVAILABLE

For the first time in eight weeks the
Board of Supervisors succeeded in getting
quorum yesterday afternoon and held a
meeting on the question Of the raise made
by the State Board of Equalization.
Chairman Taylor of the Finance Commit
tee, who has spent the larger portion of
his time for the past ten days on the sub
ject, addressed the board on the matter
He said:
desire to call your attention to the stand
up OF this City by the Board OF State EqualizerS,
Notwithstanding the abundance OF evidence
sent them from this City by the Merchants
OF Equalizers, through its chairman, that the
assessment was already too high.
There has been a great crime perpetrated
upon the taxpayers OF San Francisco by a lot of
scoundreis under the guise OF the law. 1t is
none the less crime, even II the law gave
them the power.
that 81, $50 600 is 10 be taken from the pockets
OF the taxpayers OF this City without justihca-
ton.
1t is worse than highway robbery, for the
latter requires courage and the individual
runs the risk of his life in the performance OF
his business, while these rascals skulk behind
the protection OF the law. The facts are EVIL
dent that they are either incompetent or cor
rupt ana that they are wholly unfit Tor great
public trust as propose TO show. l desire to
cali attention TO the raise applied to this City
in the last six years is 271S per cent and the
raise in all the balance OF Inc State is IL per
cent; also the fraud perpetrated by the Iarci-
cal amount assessed on solvent debts and
moneys IN banks in Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County, with population OF
100000. was assessed this year for money,
1914, $50, and solvent credits, $479, $50.
One of its banks alone, the Farmers and
Merchants Bank, If assessed according TO the
Bank Commissioners report, should have been
assessed for over 100000 in money and sol
vent credits.
According to the Bank Commissioners re-
port the banks OF the city OF Los Angeles had
81, 261, 1868 in money on hand in March of this
year, yet the whole county IS assessed for only
1914, $50 in money.
Mr.. Arnold, the State Equalizer who halls
from Los Angeles, and who purposed to raise
san Franchises assessment % per cent, in
order to equalize between the TWO counties as
he called ii, holds up Los Angeles County as
an example of good assessment. If the rest of
its property1s assessed in the same proportion
as Its money and solvent credits 1t makes
very poor showing.
Mr.. Arnold, in moving to increase San Fran
clsco's assessment 70 per cent, is quoted by
the newspapers as having stated: II DO this
because j think that inasmuch as LossAnge-
les has appeared before the board with a raise
OF 30 per cent San Francisco should have done
as well. She has increased Der roll by about )
per cent" and if his motion was carried he
thought 1t would 'equalize matters between
the two countless"
If Mr.. Arnold has been quoted correctly, and
/ have no reason 10 doubt that he has, we can
only say: "God save US from such equaliza-
tioni'
Los Angeles County was assessed in 1895 at
$50, 344,S SO; in 1896 at 1913 797, $50, being an
increase OF 20 per cent, and not 80 per cent, as
Mr. Arnold says San Francisco was assessed
in 1895 at 1927, sos, 147; in 1896 at 1857, 1885,
126, being an increase of 8 per cent and not
per cent, as Mr.. Arnold says.
Hence Mr.. Arnold's premises and conclusions
are wrong, He has assisted in raising San
Francisco 81 per cent over its assessment of
1895. To make San Francisco's increase of as
seSsment equal TO that of Los Angeles (pro-
yided Los Angeles is as we'll assessed as San
Francisco) San Francisco should only have
been raised 10 per cent instead OF 20 per cent
But even a raise OF 10 per cent is out of cues
ton when you consider that the whole county
OF Los Angeles has been assessed for $314 $50
in money only.
1 hereby enter my most earnest protest
against the action of the State Board of Equal
iZation.
1t says that there is no wrong without
remedy, but in this case / think that the QUO
.ation fails. This is great wrong, and 1 fail
to see q remedy except through legislation
and at the present time this is too far off to
do us any good l move the passage of the fol-
lowing resolution:
WHEREAS, Whatever Injustice has been per-
petrated by the state Board of Equalization in
arbitrarily and without raising the assessed
value of real and personal property 20 per
cent for the fiscal year lS96-97, there appears to
be no action whereby our citizens be relieved
therefrom: and.
WHEREAS. The question of increasing the as
sessed value of real and personal property as fixed
by the State Board of Equalization is vested in the
Auditor, who has been ad vi9ed tina 1t is his duty
to increase the assessment pursuant 70 the pro-
visions OF the Political Code and the State Board
of Equalization; therefore,
Rescued, That no remedy except by legislation
presents itself 10 the judgment of this board 10
remedy this arbitrary and unjust action as hereto
fore decided by the Supreme Court.
The measure was unanimously adopted,
and the board adjourned to meet in regu-
lar session on Monday afternoon next.