The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-01
VIEW YoRx,s AssEssmKxr.
Upstate FOLKS TryinG to Shaw That II Isn't
Large RnouKh.

State Tax Commissioners Martin Hermance
Of Poughkeepsie, Edward l.. Adams of Elmira,
and Rollin l. Jenkins, who halls from Morlah,
made their annual descent on New York yos-
terday with q view to screwing UP tho assess
ments made on real estate by the local Commits
sloners for State tax purposes. 1t Is the duty
of tho State Commissioner to examine all as
sessment rolls throughout the State when com.
Melted, and report to the State Board of Eouali-
cation whether tho assessments should DO in.
creased or reduced. The net result Of these
visits every year is that tho assessments in
from fifty to ffty.ninc counties outside of New
York are reduced by tho Equalization Board,
the total Of the reductions figured up, and the
whole amount slapped on this city.
Some time ago the State Commissioners Sc
cured q copy Of q presentment made by the Cat
taraugus county Grand Jury against the local
assessors for rating property values too low, and
they sent 1t TO District Attorney Olcott, to.
Rether with q letter in which they threatened
to get indictments against President Barker Of
the City Tax Department and his colleagues un-
less they raised the assessments here. But Mr..
Barker refused to be scared by SO idle a threat,
and the scheme Of the State Commissioners to
Eli eif1 to tb S'@ 9ro ,alS Do New YORK H% tt city GS bs thS SS MaS'
now pays a shade less than one'half Of the total
When the State Commits ,ioners got to Presi.
dent Barkor's office yesterday Chairman Her.
nance made a statement insisting that real
estate was assessed at nearly It's full market
value In every county of the State except New
York. He said that property up the State was
assessed at from 50 to 30 per cent. OF It's value,
while here In New York real estate owners got
| of with an assessment Of less than 80 per cent.
In support OF this statement be declared that u
clerk OF tho State Board had kept track Of real
estate sales in this city amounting to more than
%. O0O, 900. and the average assessments on
that property was only AZ per cent. Of what 1t
Then Mr.. Hermance put Deputy Commits.
sioners Connolly and Autonviech under oath
and tried TO make them admit that they AS
sessed property nj q percentage OF its known
value. The witnesses refused to admit any.
thing OF the kind, and Assistant Corporation
Counsel Ward. who represented the local COM
missioners, objected vigorously 10 a line OF ques-
tons asked for:the purpose OF making. the depu:
ties admit that they had violated their oath of
office. Their sworn duty, no said. was to assess
property at Its value. Then tho witnesses said
that they had never been instructed to assess
real estate at a percentage OF Its value. They
said they always assessed property at what
they thought Il was worth.
And thus the investigation came. to nought
and the State Commissioners did not get the
evidence of differentiation which they 80 eager.
ly sought. Nevertheless, no one at all familiar
with the ways Of tho state Commissioners and
the state Board Of Equalization doubts for a
moment that the time-honorcd custom OF pilinR
1t on New York win prevail this year as usual.