New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-02
MIR. SHEEHY RESUMES.
INCREASE OF ASSESSMENT AND lNChhAoH
r. ,.,rv OFFICIALS SALARIES.
Of CITY OFFICIALS sALAH

| he chairman-Mr.
Mr. MossHMr Isaac Fromme the Register pro-
| duces a statement. -, o,a In at
ns fs there asrs
from the Departments whose names nave "o' w"
Commissioner sheehy resumes the stand stand observed
Mr. M seee OF the Scrent
ments have brought in responses TO our 81
| in their Departments and the Increased NUMBER OF
e'e oP~When your deputies under your direction
were increasing the tax values of me cry, "e ere
gTp emnoves We're being raised? Al gave
| consideration: II was not called Directly 10 inS at
! cit was not called directly to your attention?
I Ao.NYon realized Mr. sheehy. as Tax Commits
sioner. using your own language. that the Duraeh
Of consolidation was falling upon Manhattan A
| dyes? You knew that very well? Al knew
| Q-Weil how did II come that while the burden
! OF consolidation was falling upon the people OF
| going M? DO YOU know anything about II? Al
/ am not responsible for any other department Mr.
'i o1 know YOU are not responsible but
any knowledge how that was? A genera
o~Yon have? A.-only a general knowledagss; ot
read in the papers that somebody was increased
couple of hundred dollars and some BOO o-,o,c,,
GA couple Of u, t ,SonssDd AAnd somebody
| Q.-And so on. running along quite UT, merr'y iou
/ Q.-And It was a matter Of interest 10 lax "'"-
o-And the tendency of that increase is to some
extent however slight to increase sSs ,a the ras tax rae
ALL city expenses increase , tns were very
much interested in that? Ayes, sir.
| AIMS TO KEEP DOWN TAXES.
o-You want far as possible to KEEP D6 down
rate? AYes that Is my e ann 1h anq business
going on that would tend to increase the rate rate
you trying 10 ha1 Eefp bsSd of
Grease Of salaries in the city t bnSre wO OF sao'
| ~
when the community is hearing an s tSn hnads
burden 6tn tba s OF taxneDt about that mus
owhen the valuation is going S up ana %ay Ssg
tax rate IS going up we have got " PP'" ways
oWhat rate are you going going to ,6s give u.s. A
S oouY1m cannot tell until these tgations are re
through? N SIR and all ths eH Tna enemp o.
lions come in We can't tell you.
| Owe have an approximate increase OF 'aN-
| able value of about 1877 10000 and we nave a
probabe increase OF tax rate about - ST. haven
| we? Al don't exactly agree with those hgures'
| ] hope they won't be over - 49,
| Q-You do?s Ayes
| O-We hone that is so; but il 1t wasn't Tor the
| increase Of salaries and the increase OF emPioEes
! throughout the city department that 81 45 might
| be g 20? A-Well would like very much 10 nave
| II 50 90? That is my object in life
! O-Now YOU are not only member OF the TAX
Board but you also member ,od 1he nsIn
many organization aren't you? Al am mem
| Der Of Tammany Hall 49, c,.A, ,
QAnd member r Of the DsmSc GuS C'"0' a.
Q-And friend. of the leader? A.-Ahd ir'enu
oAnd all this matter Of taxation and and, 1 1Sr o7
| SANITATION is interested in? A.-The orsaahzauo"
"oThey are interested in all those mstt t,n1
Is always interested in good government ,v,,,o,,
| Oft is interested In TINS mater o saarSes of
employees il would not be nt to be an in
ton isn't that fnr s ,be people fne don't Know
thing about what they consider as IN 70 cbeap taxes
co 90 1he pes sSy 'nf H aFe interested "
TAMMANY is FOR ECONOMY.
| - ,no aro thew not for economical government?
a -Win YOU tell me. as one of the prominent men
IN the organization, which 1t has been proven anu
droi,,ed "a interested In city government-wil!
Won ell me how 1t is that you have agreed upo"
otc,, hat raises the taxable valuation and in
creases the salaries? Ave have not agreed
upon anything of that kind .
| n Hasn't II been discussed in the organizations
Al never heard OF H.
n win Won tell me how 1t is that this increase
Of salaries Is general throughout ALL the Depart
merts7 Al cannot give evidence as 10 that but
think YOU will find the charter arranges for all
those things pretty well.
Ooh yes. the charter protects, but at the same
time these people would not have given up their
nositions II their salaries had been increased,
would they? Al don't know about that
O-There have been some increases OF salaries
IN your Department haven't there? Ave have
| d record OF them.
Q.-But there have been? A.-And some reduc-
lions, too.
o-But those reductions are as interesting as the
| increases? A-They are. and we have record
Of them.
| Owe will have that record here in little
while Now you have said that you tried to
equalze valuations. want you to take this and
| tell me how you arrive at the conditions. The
| Deputy Commissioner last year, without any crti-
csm so far you able 10 say. assessed the
Western Union Building, No. 1875 Broadway at
81 10000 and he assessed the Mail and Express
Building, at No. 2OS Broadway. at $4,000. This
year the Mail and Express Building is assessed
at $4,000 and the Western Union Building at
81 10000 so that In that particular there is
| no increase on the Western Union Building and 20
per cent increase the Mail and Express Build
ing How do you account for that? ls that
| equalization? Ave will prove that II is. yes.
We will produce field books and our deputy 10
prove that. We will prove that we equalized them
Q-Have you looked into that particular case?
Ave have looked into all these l will
produce the field books and the deputy
| Q.-Has any complaint been made along that part
| of the city? Ayes we have been ring them
for months.
| Q.-You realize that the Western Union Building
is on a corner? Ayes.
O.-And the Mail and Express Building is shut up
| In the block? Ayes, It is
CORNER LOTS BURDEN LIGHTEsT.
Q.-That makes some difference In the valua lions
OF property? Ayes. in my own estimation.
Q.-And II Is the property the corner that Is
increased and the property In the middle OF the
block that is increased? A.-Well. last year Il
l may not have been assessed properly
Q-You have already stated that you have nc
complaint to make any criticism to make upor
. the assessments made last year? A.-Why should
{ !? What right have j to criticise the action Of
: other men when they were not directly under me
I i think II would be a piece OF impudence.
a Q.-Do you mean TO say you talked with the gen
tleman who made this assessment In 1899 and founs
nut ron I'M haf Has a mis- In