New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-07
New-York. The assessed personal valuation Of
the estate from which they appealed was
$10.000,000.
> 49, THE GREAT GOULD EerArr.


The Commissioners of the Tax Department
were asked in regard to the matter yesterday.
President Barker was not inclined to talk about
the subject, but he said that the courts having
decided that the Goulds were non-residents. and
that they are, therefore, beyond the taxing juris-
diction Of the authorities Of this city. they are
no longer on the books Of the Tax Department.
When asked as TO the 900 proposition re-
ported as having been made. he said I'VE are
not looking after the Goulds. The Court has
settled the matter. and II they are non-resdents
as the Court has decided they certainly cannot
be assessed as residents. II they are non-resi-
dents. and have capital invested in this city.
we do not see how the Tax Department has the
legal right to put them on the assessment rolls.
even by their own consent We understand that
they are now paying personal taxes at Lake
wood on the estate, and have heard that
some of the members Of the family pay personal
taxes in Westchester County. The Court having
decided them non-residents. the Tax Commits
sioners have no desire to disobey the Court, or
either to make or consent to an assessment
which is not clearly legal. II these people pay
personal taxes in New-Jersey and Westchester
they are in no respect liable here"
President Barker said that personally he knew
OF no bona fde offer on the part OF the Goulds
to put them on the tax list. though he had heard
rumors Of a consent to an assessment OF
S2,OO0.0OO. Even II the Tax Commissioners
could assess them in New-York. 1t would be
up residence in an adjoining county or State to
escape personal taxation. and then open negotia-
tons to come back again to the city at re-
duced assessment.
20 PER CENT COLLECTED.
THE city Of New-York now collects about 20
per cent of all the personal tax collected
throughout this State" said Mr.. Barker. The
law the matter is the same in this city as II
is In every other portion of the State; the only
difference Is in the question of its enforcement
We do our best to enforce 1t here. and II we do
NOT a,1 IN, av,fnr aipri To no
suits in other cities In the State should cause
blush Of shame by comparison. The matter OF
taxation Will play an important part when the
Greater New-York Commissioners get to work.
1t Is the fundamental question Of the whole ar
fair. If NewYork City Of to-day Is to be treated
a portion Of Greater New-York. upon the
same lines as Il Is now treated by the state IN
the matter of equalization Of land values. and is
being annually equalized against to the extent
Of from S70,OO00O0 to $120.OOO.OOO, as 1t row is,
the taxpayers Of the entire twenty-four wards
of this city will be subjects for sympathy and
commseraton. They will have more TO pay
ard will get comparatively less in return.
NETWORKS GREAT VALUATION.
LAS an evidence of the part that the city OF
New-York plays IN the matter of valuation. not
only in the Sta:e but in the Nation, we have
but to cali attention. to the last published
United States census, which shows tfat the as
Sc ssed value Of the real and personal property
in the entire United States amounted TO go
7317341S while this city for 1896 has real
and personal valuation exceeding 81 1O6,WO.OOO.
These figures demonstrate that the city OF New
York bears the relation of almost one-twelfth OF
the total valuations of the entire United states
The State Board Of Assessors Will make
their annual visit to the Tax Commissioners or
this city. and have fixed upon July y for SUCH
conference II has been their annual custom
to make call of this kind. preparatory to equal
zing the land values Of the State for the pur-
poses of the State tax. When the state AS
SCISSORS meet the Tax Commissioners the ques-
ton Of increasing our land values Will be
wrestIed with, and shall hope for as good
results to the taxpayers of this city from the
new State Assessors as were received from the
late Board II settled upon basis OF percent
age which. to the taxpayers OF this city, was
the most equitable that has been fixed for many
years Our share Of the State tax for 1895
an cunts TO So 4O2,ON9 92. the largest which the
taxpayers of this city were ever called upon to
pay"