The Washington times., 1902-04-02
General Rate of SIS Per
Thousand Adopted by
District Committee.
INDIVIDUALS EXEMPT ON $500
Two Appraisers Appointed Who, With
Assessor, Form Boa-d Of Appeals
Statement to Be Made in Thirty Days
Tax Sales.

Statement to Be Made in Thirty Days
Tax Sales.
The personal tax bill as it will become
a law, or practically so, was introduced
in the Senate yesterday by Mr.. McMil-
Ian. chairman of the Senate District
Committee.
The bill prepared by Mr.. Darneille sew
eral months ago and introduced at that
time has been SO greatly amended by the
committee that it was thought best TO
introduce a new bill to avoid the friction
and cumhersomeness of amendments
Approved by Both Committees.
The bill introduced yesterday has re-
ceived the approval of the committee, and
its general provisions are also approved
by the House District Committee. IL was
referred back to the Senate committee
yesterday. however after its introduction,
as matter of formality. 1t is TO be re-
ported formally to the Senate in few
days.
The bill is much more drastic than that
originally prepared. 1t taxes all personal
property of every description above the
value of S2eG and gives the authorities the
right to examine property and assess
higher valuation than that given by the
owner.
Punishable as Perjury.
Any misstatement as to the value of
property may be punished as perjury,
The first provision of the bill is that
the Commissioners of the District are
authorized to appoint, to take effect
on July 1, two assistant assessors. at
annual salaries of $500 each,
who. with the Assessor as chair
man, shall compose a board Of per
sonal-tax appraisers. These appraisers
shall have been residents of the District
of Columbia for at least five years.
Section . provides that hereafter the
Assessor of the District of Columbia shall
annually cause to be prepared a printed
blank schedule Of all tangible personal
property, and all general merchandise or
stock in trade. and OF the classes of cor
porations and companies to be assessed,
together with tn. rate of tax prescribed,
to which shall be appended an affidavit
in blank, setting forth that the foregoing
presents a full and true statement of all
such personal property. When this
schedule is ready for delivery. notice
shall be given by the Assessor by adver-
tisement in one or more of the daily
newspapers.
Statements of Property.
Every person. association, or corpora
tion liable to taxation shall, within thirty
days. fill out the proper blanks in the
schedule with a full and true statement
and make and sign an affidavit to its
truth.
The address OF the person making afIi-
davit shall in each case be given
1t is provided that if any person or
corporation shall fail to make such a
schedule of personal property, the board
shall from the best information it can
procure make an assessment to which
they shall add per Centum as penalty
Another provision is that if the board
is not satisfied as 10 the correctness Of
the return of personal property made they
may reject the return and assess the same
in such amount as may seem just. Notice
of the rejection OF the sworn return shall
be given to the party interested by leaving
the same at the address given in the re-
turn. In all such cases there shall be a
right of appeal from the action taken b.
the appraisers TO board of personal tax
appeals, within fifteen days after delivery
of the notice. Any party making such a
false affidavit may be tried for perjury.
The Individual Rate.
All personal property, assessed over
$500, including gold, silver, plated and
china ware, Jewels. watches, pianos. mu-
sical Instruments. tools, implements.
horses, and other animals. carriages.
wagons, and other vehicles. shall be taxed
So per thousand dollars.
Dealers in general merchandise of every
description shall pay SIS per thousand
dollars on their average stock in trade
for the preceding year.
Hotels shall pay SIS per thousand dol
lars on the assessed valuation of their
furniture in lieu of license for rooms.
Each national bank, and all other incor-
porated banks and trust companies, shall
make affidavit to the board OF personal
tax appraisers. on or before July Is, in
each year. as to the amount of it's or their
capital, surplus. and undivided profits, II
any. The real estate owned by each such
institution shall be taxed as other real
estate and the residue of its cAsital.
together with its surplus and undivided
profits, shall be taxed as personal prop
erty at the rate of SIS per Thousand dol
lars.
Savings banks paying interest TO their
depositors shall make affidavit TO the
board of personal tax appraisers as to the
amount of their deposits, and shall pay
one-half of one per centum on the average
amount OF their deposits for the preced
ing year.
The capital stock of all other corpora
tions, except those exempted By Law, shall
be appraised in bulk at its fair cash
value and the corporation issuing the
same shall pay fifteen dollars per thous-
and dollars on its assessed valuation,
less the value OF any real estate owned,
which shall be separately taxed.
A Provision
1t is provided that nothing in the act
shall affect the laws in relation to the tax
on street railroad companies or insur-
ance companies. It is also provided that
newspapers and real estate and mercantile
companies Incorporated for the purpose
of conducting business usually conducted
by individuals. and which by reason of
incorporation receive no special franchise
or privilege. shall be taxed as individuals
Personal property not held for sale. and
not over the value OF 5000, shall he ex-
empt, and also personal property not in
the District and taxed elsewhere, but
owned b. persons in said District.
The next section provides that the two
appraisers, with the Assessor as chair
man. shall compose board OF personal
tax appeals. which shall convene on the
first Monday OF September in each year.
Public notice OF the time and place OF
the meeting shall be given.
II shah be the duty of this board. be-
tween the date OF convening and October
list OF each year, TO hear all appeals made
against the assessments. II shall be en-
powered TO diminish or increase the as
sessments. and their action shall be final.