New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-10
CITY DUES TO THE STATE.
STATE ASSESSORS CONFER WITH THE
NETWORK TAX BOARD.
PRESIDENT BARKER MAKES AN ARGUMENT
AGAINST TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTA-
TON. AND HIS VIEWS WILL BE LAID
BEFORE THE STATE EQUAL


zATIoN BOARD.
State Assessors Edward L. Adams. Of Elmira:
Rollln L. jenkins, of Port Henry. and Martin Heer-
nance, Of Poughkeepsie. representatives OF the
State Board Of Tax Equalization visited the De-
partment OF Taxes and Assessments In the
Stewart Building. yesterday. to hold the an
nua conference this city's proportion
of the State tax Messrs. Adams. Jenkins and
Heermance are the Republican successors of the
Democratic Assessors. Messrs Wood. Brewster and
Mason. whose term expired last year. The new AS
SCISSORS were met by President Barker and Com
mis- oner Wells OF the City Tax Board. and
two hours debate on the liability Of New-York City
to an increase In It's total OF real estate valuation
for 1896 ensued.
The State Assessors making their biennial tour
Of the State. The law requires them to pay an
official visit at least every two years to every
county in the State and learn the value OF the real
property in the various counties for the OF the
State Board OF Equalization OF Assessments The
State Board Of Equalization Is made up or the
three State Assessors Leutenant~GovernorC Charles
T. Saxton, the Secretary Of State. General John
Palmer: State Controller James A. Roberts. State
Treasurer A. B. Colvn. Attorney-General Theodore
E. Hancock, State Engineer and Surveyor Camp
bell w. Adams and Speaker Hamilton Fish, OF the
Assembly.
In the beginning Of the discussion President
Barker called attention to the remarkable fact hat
although New-York has for many years been sad
died with the burden Of 90 per cent OF the entire
State tax, the city has not single representative
upon the Board which is to pass finally upon the
sum which Is be levied against its taxpayers
Taxation without representation was declared by
forefathers to be outrage and crime
said Mr.. Barker land they fought for seven long
years to establish the principle OF self-government
We in New-York seem to be laboring under the
disadvantages relating to State taxation that
our revolutionary fathers were. We have nothing to
say to what are to pay. You gentlemen up
the State relieve US OF all responsibility on this
point 1t is over 1--WE years since began 10 nsnf
State Equalization. which insisted on lifting our
annual real estate valuations scores on mions OF
1884, the year l came into this Department the
Beard eqaazed against the city by sadng oyer bs
fore it was upward OF $l20OOO.000 got the amount
reduced in 1899 to about oo and nd since that
State tax. a manifestiy Unfair equalization
rate of g. per cent Of real value In making
the city assessments the highest IN the state
and admitted Of no Increase whatever He called at
tention to the ctys real estate valuations for this
year. amounting TO N.73 59l43 an increase over 1898
Of % s and , urged that so tns hs sae no
Besides this the State gave the city no credit ior
It's large amount OF personal tax: The personally
over last year OF over 100000 lnseed. New
York the only city in the State which made an
Stats records would show Yet no city in the land
had better financial standing than New,fork;
Nearly the whole amount OF a recent AWO,VO0 bond
issue had been taken in London.
Mr.. Barker contended that the real estate or the
city was already assessed to IT'S run mt Ditch w9 ns
be asking reductions. and that the difference be
added to NETWORKS assessments decentralization, ,,,a
values II. the interior OF the State. but promised to
lay NJ Barriers argument before the State e Board srs
Monday Ct September.