New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-27
The News of Brooklyn


between sixteenth and Seventeenth SITS. Sl'o
lot; between Seventeenth and Nineteenth SITS.
$50 a lot The home Of Mr. Walbridgc a,
Ninth-ave. and Garfield Place Is assessed al
$4,000. The property consists OF large, pam
house with an extension built Of brick, trilhmcu
with brownstone, and finished with marc "9 900
and there is brick stable on the premises Inc
property Is occupied by the owner, ana couid nor
be rented for more than $1,000 year In the
judgment of real estate experts. thls housc
would not bring at a legal pubic sale more
than 100000. The companion property OF MI
Hulburt in Ninth-ave. assessed at S9o0oo CON
ssts Of double house worth twice as much ~
tho house OF Walbridge both as TO cost ana
appearance, interior and exterior. The apart
mon house at No. III LeXington-aNe. Is as
sessed at 5000 II accommodates three iarnl-
lies. and brings in an income when rented ol
SIG This IA thousc. free and clear, MI lien
dcrson obtained in exchange for nlne iots
In East Eightecnth-st., which are assessed al
$50 each or 81 800 The owner Is now anX-
ious to sell the fathousc for 5000, the amount
Mt which IL IS assessed.
ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE OR INCOMPETENCE.
There are at least q score OF other instances
among my records in the Office here which could
be cited showing that the Assessors are either
incompetent or derelict In the performance OF
their duties
At the office OF the Assessors it was learned
that the discrimination Of the assessment in the
various towns caused by certain leglsla-
tive enactments being a part Of the various
nature Of contracts with the residents Of the
respective localities. and that by reason or such
acts the Assessors were compelled to assess the
property in such towns according to its use.
irrespective Of value. The NewLots. Gravesend
and Flatlands provisions are follows For
the purpose Of taxation the real estate included
in the territory hereby annexed shall be assessed
at the value of the land for agricultural! pur-
poses, unless the same shall have been at the
time this act shall take effect or shall there
after be divided up into building lots. and map
thereof filed in the office of the Register of Deeds
of the County Of Kings or in the office OF the
Board of Assessors OF the city of Brooklyn. ana
sale or sales referring to such map made or
unless the same shall have been otherwis. sold
building lot. or used as such.
The Assessors consider that their duties under
this provision are TO the land according
to the amount Of produce that can be raised on
1t. In other words, they become experts upon
the value Of land for raising crops, instead or
It's value as land In Residential! community.
The provision for New-Utrecht is as follows:
The aggregate assessed valuation Of the real
estate In said town, exclusive or the addltlonaI
value caused by the erection Of new buildings
or other structures, shall not. during the hve
years commencing With the year 1874 and ending
with the year 1898. 81 increased in any one year
more than 20 per cent over and above such valua-
ton for the year Immediately preceding, and
such valuation shall be deemed the full and fair
value Of such property for the purpose Of taxa
ton" According to this provision. the duty Of
the Assessors is clear. but the figures show that
the valuation in said town was not increased
more than 10 per cent last year with the land
In the whole ward greatly undervalued.
Property in the majority Of the wards.
with the exception Of Flatbush was assessed at
from - TO 30 per cent Of It's value Consider the
assessment Of land between Mapleton and Ben
sonhurst at so lot. or $40 an acre. lands IN
Flatlands assessed at SOD TO $500 an acre sell
ing at from $1,000 to $1,000 an acre. and II is
generally conceded that there IS not an acre Of
land in the County Of Kings that is worth less
than $1,000 excepting low or meadow lands
THE CITY OF BROOKLYN AN ANOMALY
George W. Chauncey. the president Of the
Brooklyn Real Estate Exchange. seen In his
office. in Montague-st.. and expressed his views
frankly. He said that Brooklyn was an anomaly
in the way OF assessments and tax rates COM
pared with other cities. While impeachlng
the integrity % any member of the BOARD of As
SCISSORS he did question their ability as judges Of
the value of real estate. He thought that perhaps
some OF the errors which had crept into the as
sessment rolls. particularly the high value upon
certain pieces Of property, had been due 70 the
precedent established about twenty-five years
ago. when a radical increase Of - per cent was
made in the assessed valuation OF the city for the
purpose of keeping the tax rate down. This had
been done. he said. by succeeding administrations
for purely political regardless Of the fact
that by this unwarranted increase a larger ap-
regarded rs an unwise policy, and believed ii
would have been better to have kept the assessed
valuation at fair figure. regardless Of the tax
rate He criticised the meth IDS by which asses
selected saying that their special fit
nesr, for such responsible office had never been
considered, when in his judgment. the Board Of
Assessors should be made up OF real estate cx-
perts. One OF the first fruits Of the Greater New
York Commission which he hoped to see realized
vas a Committee on Equalization. He gave some
interesting figures with reference TO unjust as he
[ 4 house PicrrerDnt- ct
which he recently sold for SO 100 was assessed
at $4,000 Another which he had upon his books
assessed at sd 900. and ne was authorized
by the owner 70 offer 1t at 10000. The action Of
,, the Board with reference TO the Assessment OF
corporations was also unjust. If not Illegal He
cited the Real Estate Exchange, whose entire
capital was invested in its building and upon
which the Board had this year attempted t.
SEES, a personal tax. The Ridgewood Land and
Improvement Company. every dollar OF whose
capital was invested in realty. had received word
Of personal assessment Of $Gi20o.
SYSTEMATIC INCREASE TO BLAME
John r. James, the well-known real estate ex-
| pert regarded the systematic increase in as
sessed values. regardless OF the raj rise In
| values, chargeable with most OF the trouble
| hero. He agreed with Mr. Chauncey that it would
have been wiser to ha We allowed the tax rate to go
| up and keep tho assessed value down. As an in
| stance Of unjust assessment. ne noted from his
| books the following house In Willow-st. as
| sessed at $4,000, sold for $4,000 Another in
| Pierrepont-st, assessed at $4,000. could be
bought for $4,000 Still another in Pierrepont-st
| assessed at $4,000. he would be glad to get
| $4,000 for. In Montague-st. house assessed at
| $4,000 would not in his Judgment bring $4,000
\ Perrepont-st. house. assessed at $4,000 he
| Gently sold for $40 80 In conversation with
member Of the Board not long ago. he eaid the
SCISSOR told him that he considered the proper
80, rxt,.r Tho, of oil
| 20 judge the property as 1t stood. This. he said
was incorrect Buildings do not improve by age
and in estimating the value Of realty the site and
| the improvements should he considered separate
| ~ In estimating the value OF a site all the
| rounding cOndiiiOns must be taken into account