The San Francisco call., 1897-08-23
San Francisco Said to B.
Assessed Higher Than Any
Other County.
A SPECIAL COMMITTEE is ACTING.
Hearty Approval of "The Calls "
Suggestion to Send Prominent
Taxpayers.

The suggestion of The CALL that re-
esentation of the City's prominent
business men and taxpayers should
appear before the Stale Board of Equali-
zation 10 prevent raise in the City's
assessment has struck a responsive chord
among the leading men of the City.
number of the municipal officials were in
terviewed on the subject yesterday and
almost without exception they indorsed
heartily the proposition.
Formerly it has been the custom when
the State Board threatened to raise the
assessment of San Francisco for the
Mayor, the Assessor and the chairman of
the Finance Committee to appear in be-
half of the City. This year, however,
special committee of the Board of Super
vlsors has the matter in charge and has
already collected data in anticipation of
raise by the State Board. This COM
mittee, which consists of Supervisors
Clinton n, Dodge and Lackmann, will go to
Sacramento if the City be cited, accom-
panied probably by Mayor Phelan and
Assessor Siebe or one OF his deputies.
DR.. Dodge could not be seen last night,
as he had gone out OF town, but both OF
tue other members of the committee,
Su pervisors Clinton and Lackmann,
strongly favored the sending of delega-
ii on OF taxpayers to Sacramento.
DR.. Clinton, the chairman OF the COM
mittee of the Board OF Supervisors, spoke
strongly in favor of sending delegation
of prominent business men and taxpayers
to appear before the State Board.
''After careful observation and exam
ination," he said. II Will state positively
that San Francisco is assessed higher in
proportion than any other county in the
State.
Property in the rural districts has been
assessed unusually low this year. The
assessment was, of course. made before
prospects had begun to brighten and
wheat to rise. Had the boom in wheat
come before this assessment was made the
valuations in the various counties would
have been very greatly increased.
Realty in this City is assessed al fully
65 per cent of its market value and in
some parts of the City, notably i'll the
Richmond and Mission districts, even as
high as 80 and S5 per cent.
Meanwhile the committee has been
busy collecting data and before the end
of the month meeting of the committee
will probably be called in anticipation of
summons by the State Board.
"UndoubtedIY delegation of the busi-
ness men and taxpayers should also ap-
pear before the State Equalizers. We
made it point when these men appeared
before the local board to request them to
make similar showing before the State
board, and they agreed to do so. Among
those who promised to assist US in this
way were, as l remem ber, represen tatives
of Holbrook, Merrill & Stetson, Sherwood
& Sherwood and Mr.. Hellman of the Ne
Vada Bank.
1--WE will make such a showing" he
concluded, "tnat the State board cannot
consistently make an increase in San
Francisco's assessment"
"Most assuTedly a delegation of the
heavy property holders and taxpayers OF
the City should accompany the City's
official representatives when they appear
before the State poard,' said Supervisor
Lackmann. "They should make much the
same showing before the State Equalizers
that they made before the local board
some time ago. At that time many of
the taxpayers appeared and produced evi-
dence showing that their properly was
fully assessed in proportion to other prop
erty. A number of them stated at the
time that they would do so. Among
them, l think, were Mr.. Stetson, a repre-
sentative of Stein, Simon & Co., and
A. A. Watkins, who appeared for the
Montague Com pany. Yes, indeed; l
think that such delegation would have
very considerable influence in keeping
NOWn the Clty'S assessment.
Chairman Rottanzi of the Finance Com
mlttee did not believe that the heavy tax
payers should appear before the board.
''It would appear that they had come with
merely selfish motive" he said, land
besides, the equalZers could point to a
number of glaring Inequalities IN their
individual assessments. There are many
such inequalities in the local assessment.
No, the responsibility rests solely upon
the shoulders of the committee that has
been appointed to look into the matter
and l do not believe that the Clty's
chances would be bettered even by having
the Mayor appear before the board"
We have as yet received no intim alton
that San francisco would be cited, " said
Hugo Herzer, Chief Deputy Assessor,
"but the matter, which l understand is
under discussion, will probably come to
a head in the next two or three days
When tho citation does come the AS
SCISSORS office will be ready to meet it. We
have been at work for some weeks prepar-
ing data and we feel that we can make a
satisfactory showing as to why the assess
ment should not be raised
II think it will be highly advisa BILE
thing for committee of merchants and
other large taxpayers TO go before the
board I very earnestly indorse the ad-
vice given in The CALL editorlalIy this
morning. The way to approach the board
is with arguments, not threats and abuse
Th mem bers of the board would be bereft
of human nature if the course l have pro-
nounced against did not react against tn
cause. What is wanted is sound argu-
ments and [ have always SO contended.
when the Supervisors we're meeting as
Board of Equalization they cited large
number of merchants and bankers before
them to show cause WHY their assessments
should not be raised. They came and so
successfully demonstrated that they were
paying all that they could in fairness be
called upon for that the board made no
increase. l think it would be well if these
men would appear before the State Board
and present the same arguments.
From our investigations In the Asses
sor's office we are convinced that San
EranciSco naYS as much ia xes in nrnnnr-