New-York tribune., 1903-01-03
REALTY So, 900, 900, 900.
The Assessment Books Val Sho1c %
Per Cent. Increase.

The assessment books will be open on Mon
day January II, for the inspection Oh taA-
payers and for correction and revision Doti'
as to real estate and personal property IL
will be the first year for the loo per cent ssS-
tenn of assessment real estate
The total assessed valuation OF city rear e9-
tate last year was $3.330,6iI,519 Commits
sioner Strasbourger says that this gross valua-
ton will be raised under the new assessment
80 per cent. or to 81. .995, 5,SI136S- The re-
vision also includes the assessing of large
number OF new corporations and individuals
for personally. The assessed personal valuation
is roughly estimated at $2,WO0VDup making
a total of about S1.000.OOo.oW. This will give
the city a debt incurring capacity of nearly
S2OO0O0OOO more than the charter provision
allows at present 10 per cent basis The
assessed valuation real estate is TO oe
raised 30 per cent according to Commissioner
Strasbourger's figures, and at least 80 per
cent according to Controller CIRCUITS estimate.
'I should Judge, without consulting figures.
that the average increase in assessments will
be about 30 per cent" said Commissioner Stras-
bourger yesterday. This does not. of course.
mean that tax bills will be increased 80 per
cent AS matter of fact. the revision is going
to increase the tax of the owner who has not
been bearing his rightful burden of taxation.
while the smaller holders. whose parcels hfth-
erto have been more easily and quickly ap-
praised than the more costly holdings, will pay
less taxes than before. If personal taxes are
fairly paid in the next year the tax rate should
be largely reduced I would not be surprised to
see the rate go down to 1.12 against 1T
this year"
"Will the Tax Department favor any new tax
legislation for this city at Albany this year,"
Mr.. Strasbourger asked
II can't speak for the department. said he
Personally / am in favor of a small tax on
mortgages along the lines of the Stranahan bill,
introduced last winter at Albany. If such a law
became effective / think the tax rate would
go down to .I5. Mortgages now are assessed
as personal property but through the swearing
off process payments are avoided and 1t is dirii-
cult for the Tax Department TO compel honest
payment. On the other hand. | would be against
any proposition to list personality. The great
objection to the proposed federal income tax
was it's inquisitorial feature. With low tax
rate there would be an inducement Tor WeaIlny
a high tax rate many men possessed of large
personality realizing that if they pay all tnat
is assessed against them they Will he gong
beyond honest bounds, persuade themselves that
it is proper to swear off the entire amount.
Many strange things are being discovered DE
the deputy tax commissioners In revising the
rolls A taxpayer in The Bronx VINO mas
grumbed at paying on an assessed Valuation oI
$40 900 recently sold the parcel assessed at that
figure for S220,00n
II is said around the tax Office that the in
crease in the assessments the large new
office buildings is going to be slight Inc great
increases will be parcels IN the speculative
Districts where parcels have cdrrieI ChIy HUI
est assessments In the last three or four years
the values of these properties have greatly IN
creased.