The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
BROOKLYN T~AXDODGERS.
EIID ESCE BEFORE THE STATE
BOiRD OF a COMMISSIONERS.
The brooklyn city Railroad Escapes Taxation
on Its Capital stocL-Trust Companies Avoid
Personal TaN-The Burden FnIling Chiefly
ON RrnI Esintc-NNor.e on stnten Island.

Personal Tns-The Burden Falling Chiefly
on Heal Estatc-WorSc ON staten Island.
ALBANY, April 19.-An examination of the
evidence taken by the State Board of Tax Com
missioncrs in the Investigation which they have
been quietly conducting for the past few weeks
abuudantly justifles the necessity for the work
they have undertaken. Not only has an extra
ordinary state of things developed in the city of
Cohocs, as stated in these dispatches, but the
inquiry in the city of Brooklyn and on Staten
Island has shown n lnmentable failure to enforce
the provisions OF the law. In Brooklyn corpora
tions Obliged by law to make report to the
assessors by June 10 OF each year have almost
uniformly failed to comply with its provisions,
or. when they have DOM so. have withheld the
report to the very last moment, so as to embar-
rass the assessors as much as possible in deter
mining the amount of the assessment.
The Brooklyn City Railroad Company, which
is capitalized AT ST., 900. 600, and the market
value OF the stock of which, is about $4,000 600,
has entirely escaped taxation upon its capital
stock during the past year by taking proceed
iuSs in the courts, claiming that its indebted
ness exceeds its assets, although that company
is leased TO the Brooklyn Heights Railroad.
which pays all running expenses and also 10 per
cent. on the capital stock of the Brooklyn City
Company. amounting to 81 100000 "A year.
There are eight trust companies in Brooklyn,
with IL capital stock of over S.. 900, 900, the
market value Of whose shares is worth about
ST. .OO0.O 900. Only one OF these trust companies
is held for any personal tax on its capital, and
that for an insignificant sum, these companies
having invested their capital and surplus in non
taxable securities, thus avoiding taxation.
Bank shares are assessed AT considerable less
than their actual value, but nearly half of tho
amount for which they are first placed upon tho
rolls is sworn OIL by the owners of the stock.
In addition to all this. II per cent. of the
assessment upon personal property is not col
lcctcd, it being returned as uncollectihle. cor
/ r~orations refusing to pay. and no effective steps
having been taken for the purpose OF enforcing
the payment Of the tax, these companies dcclar-
ing that they are Indifferent AS TO whether they
are taxed or not. as they are unwilling To pay
and that collection cannot be enforced.
The usscescd valuation of the real estate of
brooklyn appears to be a little more than three
times what il was in 1870, having increased
from SIs3O00.U0o in 1870 to $500, 10000 in
/ hha.- in"roHsca only from 1000 :, 900 in pisE7o'tteo
S27.oou.oo in 1886, the personal property upon
+ The rolls at this lime being only 8 per cent. of
The entire assessment, so that % per cent. OF the
burden Of taxation fails upon real estate. This
an2ss.SssscJ IN any Of III" large eIitiss Of the State.
although in. the county OF itichmond n much
w wiln a i] l"tal iSsss Of !nii" & n Sx.TiS' Fl s!nG GOO In 'SGe.
there is only n little over SlOu, 900 of personal,
the balance of the assessment being entirely
upon the real estate. less than Onc'half of ] per
cent. OF The entire assessment being imposed on
personal property.
There are "A large number of corporations
doing business in that county having "A large
c"r.Inl stock, among them the BcChtel Brewing
Company, the Norman Brewing Company, and
ia" RnchHRn Brewing Company, all of which
are very prosperous concerns, hut are not upon
the lax rolls torhnI personal property whatever,
The banks seem to bc assessed Al about Onc'half
the amount required by law. there being two
banks in the county, the assessment upon one OF
which, if assessed AT fun value, rs the law re-
quirc>, would amount TO as much as the total
Assessment OF personal in the entire county.
There are also several persons living in the
county who are rCputcd TO he worth over q
million dollars each in personal property. There
are also two trolley lines aud a steam railroad
in the county, II Is conceded that real estate 10
not assessed above 80 per cent. of its value.
All these facts appear III The face OF tho OK
plirit language uf the statute that all property,
real and personal, musi hu assessed at its full
value. The assessors are obliged to make oath
To that effect and attach ii To the assessment
roll. The same nssrsspis come forward during
This investigation ana upon cHhlnination say
half of ~tSNaiuc, while n very small proportion
of the personal II reached at all.
The Has,-sOls in Brooklyn, as appears by tho
evidence, seem disposed 10 perform their duties
n. far ~ They are sustained by the courts in
50 doing. and have evidently manifested u very
commcndHhlc disposition 10 comply with tho
prov ioluns of the law. From AN examination OF
the evidence IL il doubtful whether This could
be- said OF the assessors in Richmond county.
The Commissioners of Taxes are disposed 10
follow up This inquiry. with the aid of he Attor-
hcy-Gcncral representing the state, through j.
Newton FicrO. who has been designated as cOun-
sci Tor that uurDoos. and The board will examine
mao This fu,riia;. J" il'.sc counties where they
have reason Ia believe ASSESSORS have been niusb
dercliCt III p.Cir duty.