New-York tribune., 1899-06-01
FRANCHISE TAX COMMENT.
BUSY DAYS IN SIGHT FOR THE STATE
TAX COMMISSIONERS.
NOT MUCH TRAVELLING. BUT PLENTY TO DO
WITH REPORTS AT ALBANY-INCREAsE OF
CORPORATION TAXATION ESTIMATED
AT slooooOOo IN THE STATE.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l

fDY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l
Albany, May 31.-Martin Heermance, one OF the
State Tax Commissioners. was here to-day looking
into the affairs OF the home office. and incidentally
studying the Franchise Tax bill. which has imposed
such responsible duties upon the Board Of State
Tax Commissioners.
Mr. Heermance said: my felow-commissoners
and myself have held meeting since the Fran
chise Tax bill sent to the Governor. We were
together the day II passed, but were not then
aware that It had been successful in the Legislat-
ure. We therefore have had no consultation yet
about the enforcement OF the new law. Fortunate
ly IT does not go into effect till next October for
under former taxation laws have mapped out
work which will keep us employed until the middle
OF September We are trying 10 see the supervisors
and OF at least three counties week. and
have a talk with them at the county seat Of each
county about their assessment Of property. Then,
after have collected our statistics, our secre-
tary, Mr. Deyo, will make his valuations In the
statistical table to be submitted to the State Board
OF Equalization. whose members meet early in
September and adopt the equalization table.
Il do not anticipate" he continued being COM
PEELED to do large amount Of travelling in order
to ascertain the value OF each franchise.
TO WORK AT ALBANY
1T to pretty accurately deter
mine the value OF franchises here in Albany from
the financial reports Of the various corporations
The Franchise Tax law observe, requires the local
assessors to give information about the fran
chses. We shall get a good deal Of information
therefore about them in that way. OF course the
work of appraisng Justly the value of these fran
chses will be exacting. and It seems to me 1t would
be profitable to remain here in Albany study
ing the statistics rather than racing about the
State
NO plans as regards bureau OF franchise
statistics have yet been adopted" he said. Il
MD htedl w W general
for the corporations to fll out. giving us the In
formation which think would guide US In form
ing our Judgment upon the value OF franchise.
New-York City. which begins to assess Its properly
between October and January /, will receive at
tention first. There Is large body OF corpora
tons In that city whose franchises must be valued
The other counties OF the State their prop
erty at later period"
INCREASE OF TAX RECEIPTS
John J. Merrill corporation tax clerk Of the State
Controller VINO Is an expert taxation questions
and who aided in the framing Of the Franchise Tax
act arrived here to-day from his home In Ane-
gany County.
81 note that one alleged authority on taxation
said Mr.. Merrill Estimates that this Franchise
Tax bill will only increase the taxation receipts OF
the cities or towns OF the State to the extent Oh
100000. In my Judgment 1T will be far larger
! Mr. Merrill then made some calculations. and
said: When you consider the metropolitan seres,
| Railway Company, the Brooklyn Rapid Iransl,
! Company. the Consolidated Gas Company and
other gas companies. the Edison electric iight com
| panies the subway companies and the telegraph
| and telephone companies It is conservative esti-
! mate to say that the Franchise Tax act VIII IN.
! City to the amount o: 100000 1 think at least
1900 600 more will be collected from corporations IN
the remainder Of the State as the result OF me pas pas
sage OF the Franchise Tax act, making grand tota
Of at least No@ year Increase GI orr n be
conservatvely adminstered and aS,t,Jn nave nc
will be a long-needed revision of the taxation laws
! OF the State. Another result VIII be sucn an IN IN.
crease in the amount OF taxable property that the
State tax rate and local tax rates In sueh places as
! New-York will be much decreased. 4 do not know
! Of a taxation measure which has been passed II
/ half century Of such Importance.
MAY APPEAL TO THE COURTS.
Mr. Merrill believes that under the terms Of the
new act and Of the previous taxation laws OF tht
! State the franchises 4 the corporations as rea
estate will be taxed at their full value Other tax
payers will resort the courts to compel the tax
alton OF a franchise at It's full value Mr.. Merrll
said to-day that the taxpayers could appear 10 tit
courts for the enforcement Of the taxation laws IT
this respect and POI lted to Section 200 OF chapter
9OS OF the Laws OF 1895 as ind1cation 0t .e % pT" "
OF taxpayers in this regard. The section reads a.
follow5: -,
claiming to be aggrieved by any assessment Iol
property therein, may present to the supreme
! Court a petition duly verified, setting forth tha
the assessment is Illegal specifying the grounds o.
tho alleged ilegality or II erroneous by reason o.
over valuation, stating the extent OF suCu oFe.
valuation or II unequal in that the assessmen
has been made at a higher proportonate valuation
than the assessment Of other property on the sam'
roll bv the same officers specifying the instances
IN" IN uSich =; such inequality exists and the exten
thereof, and stating that he Is or VIII ne mJure. @
thereby. Such petition must show that apPhcauVi 81
| correct such assessment. Two or more persons as
sessed upon the roll who are affected in tn n,
same manner by the alleged ilegality, error or IN
! equality may unite In the same petition