New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-01
ROLLING UP CITY TAXES.
STATE ASSESSORS. IN TOWN TO EQUAL
IZE" STATE ASSESSMENTS. HEAR
SOME VIGOROUS PROTESTS.

c,ot. Assessors Adams Heermance and jenkins
paid q visit to the Tax Department YESTERDAY anu
Gscu sscd with President Barker ana ooH'hi9O
ers ;vtrc and Wells questions involved III what u,
termed the annual equalization OF state 'aNe'
II really means that annually an increased req,
estate valuation Of ss5.ooO0o 10 SlooVVcV Is pid'e
upon the city Mr. Heermapce acted as man
Spokesman for the State Board, ana fres'uo"'
Barker defended the city in the discussion
u exclamation of the visit Mr. Heermance sa'1
4, was their duty to visit all the counties III inc
Stale to get information as 10 the assessed Vaiu.
OF real estate for the benefit of the STATE hoa'u "a
Eoualization They had nothing TO do with tne
tax on personal property He SAID tha' uie r
tary County assessment was more nearly ''
1.lue than that Of any other county III the So"
While there was great deal OF ossauSiav .'O'i
this county with the State Board OF Eauahza 'io",
there had bee1 more dissatisfaction In the rurd'
counties with the assessed value OF rea. estate III
New-York
He began to explain the method adopted by the
State Board of Equalization in making OUT 'ao'e'
to arrive at percentage OF equanHa',o" ...o. j.,
How is IT," asked President Barker, thal II
~ou eoualize the taxes as you say New-iorK Couh-
Nv pays IS per cent of the whole state TAX
Ar Heermance did not reply TO this. but "ei''
sN IN his attempt to show that New orh uoe ~
pay It's share o, the State tax. He sald 'hat ho
1874 TO 1896 there an increase IN perceh.aee VI
equalized values In the rural counties OIL 100 Pe
cent while In this county the increase was III per
cent II the same ratio Of increase IN perceh.aee
had been carried out here up the State New
York ne said. would have paid IN taxes 'as' 'e"'
sl7O 100000 more than 1t did TO the state
The assessed value of rea! estate IN this count!
was a. per cent while in the rest or the state II
was So per cen 1t was to correct that STATE Oh
affairs that 49,: Heermance and his feiiow-com-
1nissioners were here.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Ward VINO SAT De-
side President Barker. said that this Statement
was absurd At his suggestion James W. ConhoHy'
n DEPUTY Tax Commissioner, was called 10 ex-
plain the method of assessing property MI Noii
nolly's district embraces the territory Ho''h %
seventv-ninth-st east OF Central Park and south
Of the Harlem River a.
What do you assess property al III your oS'
trict?' asked Mr. Heermance
"At its full value" the reply
Surprising you consider a piece OF property worth
$1,000. what do you assess II att
"One hundred thousand dollars. III
County assessed too low. and that 1t should
be up to 100 per cent 10, OF s reeenu pb
lished that he had requested Distrct-Attorney o.
colt 10 cause the indictment of the local board 1o'
President Barker smiled at this, but said nothine;
Estate Exchange asked the privilege of the floor
protest against any increase in the tax paie by
outrage to tax New-York without representation.
For several years Se no STATE BospJ Of mao Sa
and the rural members had done as they pleased
with NSW-1Ork
York was new overburdened with taxation. he
insisted thai property was assessed 10 us iu''
value. . -.,, r>..o.
director in the Real Estate Exchange Is nov
taxed too high. We cannoc stand 1t much ioneeT'
and some one is going TO get hurt. The country
men want too much. or. - 49,. sv,,
Mr. Heermance said that in ffty-nine OF the sxt ~
counties property was assessed at 1W per cent Oh
Ats value 1-.,..,o,or u,bo
has lad charge OF the district below Canal-st ior
Ave wears was called. Some or the asses Nai11-
atione cite1 by him were: Equita bic Lie 6 S!o
Ing SO 800 40; Produce Exchange Sl5oNp; StoSk
Exchange. S,1O0.000 Union Trust company si'@'o'
COO American Tract Society, H,leOWO: ,.. .,
Mr. Ward explained that the Tract socleIy WI
n Charitable organization. and it was not assessed
10 its full value. .,,o. sa,os within vour
ds;nic, pecentlv are within co per cent Of their
assessed valuation he was asked ..,.,..
Yves: but l am not prepared 10 swear posluTeiE,
Their are so many exchanges that Il Is uilicuI
in valuation If a large corporation wants a PIE
Of propertv 10 extend its buildings IL VIII Pay any
price Would you consider that taT nasds
mt I valuation on the balance OF the p.opeeLE
" tbe case of the Newly DIRK Life insuranct a.,
many 4: raid the Merchants cub sioo.Wo io' us
nrorertv which valued ~ Sio~" ,...~,. q. :; =
kft1r other testimony Mr.. Heernance prouG NJ
snnlirv 10 close BY saving that ne was Wei sdIn
Hed with the Information he had obtantI' nr
said however that the upstate people c9uu W. W.
he convinced that the assessment OF Ne"-i''"
County high enough