The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-02-07

ular court business is seriously delayed
to the great inconvenience of taxpayer:
and counsel.
In some cases where the over-assess-
ment has amounted to 275 per cent, the
tax upon the actual value amounts tc
about per cent, which is practically 9
confiscation of the property by the mu-
| nicipality. We can furnish, if desired by
| the committee, a large amount of addi-
tional evidence to prove the great and
urgent need of some new method Of re-
| lief, beside that furnished by the board
Of relief and the appeal to the superior
court
l can show the operation of the pro-
posed bill most readily by an illustra-
ton: A taxpayer owns property worth
$1,000. 1t is assessed at $4,000 or $4,000.
This Is q common proportion in New
Haven. The taxpayer applies to the
board Of relief and asks reduction to
$4,000. He gets but little encourage
ment, and expecting that he will get no
reduction, he says, why, l would sell
you this property for 2,O0O." This only
amuses the board of relief They say,
I'VE are not in the real estate business,
and, of course, you know we are not"
| The board of relief assume that the
owner is blufflng, and the owner has no
means of proving that he is not bluffing.
This bill furnishes a direct means OF
proving, either that the owner is sin
cere In his offer, or that he is not. I'm
der this bill the assessors could hand to
the owner a blank, when he makes
them an informal offer to SELL which, If
he chooses, he may fill out, offering his
property at $4,000 or $4,000, or any
amount he elects, not more than so per
cent of the assessors valuation. This
proves his sincerity, and the board of
relief may then reduce the assessment
to the sum which he has named, or at
their option may advertise the property
for sale.
If no buyer can be found within the
period fixed, between two and three
months, then the assessment must be
ereduced to the sum named by the own
err. The other provisions of the bill in
sure the good faith of all the parties
concerned, and prescribe the method of
procedure to carry out the purposes of
the bill The minir details of the bill
speak for themselves should be glad,
however, to answer any question con-
corning them that may occur to the
committee.
1t Is not claimed that this bill will
apply to all cases of over assessment.
Among the exceptions will be the old
homestead, about which sentimental as
sociations gather, which would forbid
the owner from offering the property at
it's market value. 1t Is true that in
such a case the owner might make the
offer with good degree of safety that
it would not be accepted, but even If it
were accepted, he could at his option
forfeit 10 per cent. Of the valuation, and
still retain the property. Or, in the
case of a factory employed in a profita-
BILE manufacturing business, the owners
could not afford to risk losing it, but
the same provisions will attach to it as
do to the homestead just mentioned.
In cases, too, where the property Is
heavily mortgaged, or where the
owner hopes in a few years to
secure a largely enhanced price, he
would dislike to give the property
a BLACK eye" by Offering it
at its present market value. We do
not claim that the owners in such a
case can avail themselves directly of
the provisions of this act, although they
might do so without much danger of
buyers being found, but in these cases.
and in every assessment, the existence
of such a law would tend to make the
assessors avoid the gross over-valua-
tions that have occurred in New Haven,
and the corrections which were made
under this law in the vicinity would
tend to the prevention of errors in such
cases.
AS 1t is impossible that this bill should
furnish a practicable remedy in all such
cases, we say in Section II of this act, |
Nothing in this act shall be construed
to prevent resort by any taxpayer to
any means of relief against over-as-
sessment under existing laws
This bill has been carefully considered |
by the committee on legislation of the |
Chamber Of Commerce of New Haven, |
and unanimously recommended by |
them. 1t was reported to largely at
tended meeting Of the representative
business men and lawyers of New Ha-
ven, members of the Chamber of Com
merce, and after discussion of two
hours, was unanimously approved, and
he committee on legislation was di-
'ected to offer it for passage by the gen
eral assembly.
During the extensive discussion
which took place, many questions were
'aised and considered, which will
doubtless suggest themselves to the
Committee on Judiciary will mention
| few of them, and shall be pleased to
eply to any others which may be
aised
Among them I will mention the ques-
ion whether this bill is in accordance
With the principle of assessment as
tated in the existing statutes: Section
S27 of the General Statutes provides
hat real estate shall be set in the list
t its present true and actual valua-
ion." Section 1898 provides that per-
onal property shall be put in the list at
IS then actual valuation I suppose
hese expressions are substantially sy-
onymous. Section 1881 is as follows:
The present true and just value of any
state shall be deemed by all assessors
nd boards of relief to be the true mar
ct value thereof, and not it's value at a
breed or auction sale
We believe that it cannot properly be
aimed that a. sale under a voluntary
ffer by the owner of the property I'M