Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-15
THE new CITY ASSESSMENT
Plans of the Finance Commit
tee of City Council.
TO HELP BOARD OF REVISION
Chairman Kane Sets Forth His
Position.
Expresses the Belief That the Board of
Assessment, Revision and Appeals Can
Obtain Its Own Information and Correct
Figures of Assessors, If Necessary.

The finance committee OF City Coun-
oil has decided, according to Chairman
James Kane, TO have made complete
new assessment of all real estate in the
city, whether the dispute between him
self and Assessor Eugene M. Sayers,
relative to the appointment of assist
ants, is settled or not, provided it can
be done legally. Mr.. Sayers insists
upon the appointment of Thomas f.
Gormley, his clerk, as one of his assist
ants, while Mr.. Kane wants some other
person chosen. On this point the dis
agreement hinges, and there is no I'M
mediate prospect of either Mr.. Kane or
MIR. Sayers giving way to the other. 1t
is not unlikely, therefore, that plan
will be adopted different from that at
first proposed.
At the meeting of City Council on
June 9Th resolution was adopted, on
motion of Mr.. Kane, directing the
finance committee and city assessors
to appoint three competent persons to
complete an entire new assessment of
city property.
The intention at that time was to
select three men at once, in order that
the work might be begun the first of
July. which marked the beginning of
the fiscal year. Three men were slated,
Marion N. Wood and Hubert Cassidy
Democrats, and former Building In
spector Lewis Il. Gtubb, q Republican,
all builders and oonversant with the
subject. Before they we're formally
appointed, however, a slight change in
| the programme occurred. The city
4 Il hald nd
| dent OF City Council William S. Alex
| John e. Healey, the then memter of
Council from the Tenth ward, did not
stand for nomination and his term
expired on the last day of june In
view of the fact that Messrs Alexander
and Healey would both retire from office
at the end of June, it was decided to
hold the matter of assistant assessors
up ioi the time being, some of the
\ friends of the two Counoilmen having
suggested that they be appointed to as
sist the assessors.
After the matter had gotten into this
shape some of the members Of Council
began to make objection TO changing
the original plans and a contention fol-
i lowed over what should be done. After
4 the matter had hung fire for some time
4 the finance committee decided to have
4 four assistant assessors, instead OF three,
as at first proposed, the plan being 10
allow each of the assessors to name a
man and the committee to name the
other two. When 1t came to the point
of making the selections there was no
trouble over the Northern district, HUI
bert Cassidy, Democrat, and Charles
II. Foula, Republican, being named to
assist Assessor Mccall, but there was
hitch when Mr.. Sayers was called
upon to pick out man. He named
Mr.. Gormley. Mr.. Kane objected tn
Mr., Gormiey serving, and ever since
that time Mr.. Kane and Mr.. Sayers
have been at loggerheads over the
matter.
The work of making the assessment
has been begun, however. Mr.. Mccall
of the Northern district is looking after
his territory alone, while Mr.. Sayers
has the assistance of Mr.. Gormley in
the Southern district. Although Chair
mau Kane has not consented to the ap-
pointment of MIR. Gormley as an assist
ant assessor, the law governing the
office of assessors clerks permits the
assessors to use their clerks in any ca
2 paoity in connection with the asssss-
msnt and collection of taxes.
Should the differences not be ad-
iusted, 1T looks now as il the finance
committee might act independently OF
the a:sessors, il they can do 30 legally,
Z and make another assessment on their
own account. That is. in view of the
! fact that the Board of Assessment, Re
vision and Appeals, has supervision
over the assessment, when the books
come before that body, the COMMITTEES
! may appoint three or four agents, pro.
vided an ordinance can be PASSED
legally, making such appointments, and
the men so appointed will be exIectec
to ascertain the value of every pieof
of real estate in the city and make
> their reports to the committee Of Coun
, ell, which may turn the figures over tc
the Board of Assessment, Revision ano
Appeals. City Solicitor Reinhar6t has
been asked what Council eau do legal,
in the matter and an opinion is ex
pepted fro n him in time to decide upoi
!. some plan at the meeting Of the finance
!, committee next Wednesday night Som,
) of the members of Council want to pasI
i an ordinance bearing on the subjec
r and giving the body authority to do th'
. things which some of the members hav,
a in mind.
: Much stress ia placed upon the powe
of the Board of Assessment, Revision
/. and Appeals in the matter of super
{. vising the assessment. The board il
g composed of the president of Council
! chairman OF the finance committee aut
!, the building inspector. The city char
: ter contains the following concerning
& the duties of the board:
It THE said board shall eX
s ercse general and supervisory powe
Q over the assessors and collectors for th
|. city, and shall cause them to make
q faithful, full, fair and complete assess
i ment of all the property in their re
It spective districts liable to taxation, a
hereinafter provided. The said boart
n may adopt such rules and regulation
r as they may deem exredient to produc
2 fairness, equality and completeness O.
: assessments, and shall have full power
!. at any time, to examine the assessment
it while the assessors and collectors ar
g making them, and cause them to b
o conformed to such rules and regulation
q as the said board may have adopted il
i the premises. y The assessor
and collectors shall complete the assess
ment for the said city in each year b.
IS the second day of January, on or befor
b which day they shall deliver the sam
g to the said Board of Assessment, RI
; vision aud Appeals for the city of vii
!. mington, The board, upon reoeivin
q such assessment. shall forthwith eS
g anime it, with power to revise, alter @
tadd any assessment on or before tn