Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-10-29
Assessment of City Property.

Editor Of the Macon Beacon:
desire to call the attention of the pub
lie TO the proceedings OF the present Board
of Mayor and Aldermen in fixing the ass
essed values Of property In the city OF Ma
con.
1t Ia exceedingly difficult, If not impossi-
BILE. 10 tell upon what theory or business
principle they have proceeded in fixing the
assessed value OF property. 1t Is certainly
not upon the theory OF what II cost o per.
son. for | assessed my residence In fraction
al block 80 at 81. 900, when this property
cost me not exceeding $500. This house
was built eleven years ago and. OF course
has deteriorated In value TO some extent
The Board. however, saw proper to raise
the assessed value 10 $3.50, more than II
cost me and more than | could get for 1t to-
day were | willing to sell 1t. say 1t is
cert ainly not upon the theory Of what prop
erty cost one that they have acted. for on
this same assessment roll we see that w
W. Shannon, one Of the present. aldermen,
has assessed bis residence and lot in frac-
tional block 80 at the sun Of $4,000. which
was allowed TO remain by the Board OF
Mayor and Aldermen at that figure. My it,
formation Is, that the lot upon which was
then situated an old shell Of a building cost
Mr.. Shannon 81, 200; this building was ell
Their torn Gown or remodeled. and a new
mansion erected at q cost Of "a 1000. besides
modern improvements in the way of water
works etc.
Again. the house aud lot OF M. Owens,
who is also a member of the Board OF May.
or and Aldermen, cost him $3.50. 1t Is as
sessed at the sum OF $4,000 and allowed to
so remain by the Board Of Mayor and Al
dermen.
.g.. A. Iz,a. a,l iot af II WIN;
m cost him $3.50, so | am informed, and
that il assessed at the sum OF 81, 800. So, II
can readily be seen that it Is not what prop
erty originally cost one that has actuated
the present Board IN fixing the assessed
value. as such pieces OF this property just
referred to Is assessed at less than what IL
cost the parties, while mine was assessed at
over S400 more than what | paid for IL.
Again, my Office and lot in block II cost
me on a cash basis S575 twelve years ago.
This house was erected In 1874 or 10. Ac-
cording to the natural tendency of wooden
buildings this house would naturally dete-
~riorate In value during that time. | have
continued to assess this property at $500.
which would be all that | could possibly
get for it were | offering it for sale. The
Board, however. thought 1t was proper that
this particular piece of property should be
assessed at more than what | gave fer II,
and have consequently assessed II at 5000.
and have made 1t appear on the assessment
roll that 1t is a brick office, when In truth
and IN fact It is not a brick office.
| would be glad If the public would com
pare the assessed value OF other property in
block II with this particular office and lot.
The livery stable and lot Of w. W. Shan
non, which Is worth fully five times as much
az my little office anu lot, is assessed at the
sum of 81 800 and was so allowed to remain
by the Board.
In assessing the storehouse property in
the city Of Macon, | gather from some re-
marks that were made by the honorable
Mayor, that they were actuated to a con.
siderable extent by the amount of rents
that were being collected from the store
property. For that reason the Board have
seen proper to assess my property at about
81. 900 more than il actually cost me, IRE.
spective OF the ravages OF time. which re
Quires constant repairing OF the property.
think, however that the learned Mayor
Is evidently mistaken IN supposing that II
was on that basis that they raised the as
sessed value OF my store property, for tn,
reason that w. W. shannon, who owns +;
half interest In three brick stores in blocl
4, has his interest assessed only at the sun
VI sDsbUOs lhC1C ! - ~
the possession OF permanent and paying
tenants, who are paying nlnety-three dol
lars per month rent Tor this property. =
Neither of these stores has been vacsnt
since they were erected. 1t Is an easy mat.
ter to estimate the total rents which Shan
non receives on his Investment on this store
property. A part oil my store property hal
been assessed almost double at what it II
worth and at what | was willing to take fol
it, and 1t was extremely difficult that
could succeed in getting the Board OF May.
or and Aldermen even TO reduce that exor-
bitant assessment. Mr.. Shannon gets fort
six and q half dollars per month rent for BIZ
store property. which he has assessed al
$500; my store property all told, includ'
ing express office, yields eighty-tive dollars
per month, aud was assessed by me at Sc
200; the Board has seen proper, however
to place an assessment value OF $7,l00 OF
this property which is more than twice tn,
amount S%hannon's property Is assessed at
and brings In considerably less thar twic,
the rents that his half interest IN th0si
stores bring.
l would be glad II some one would Civ,
the public some Information at least 30 tina
the citizens OF the city Of Macon coult
have some idea upon what theory tb,
Board OF Mayor and Aldermen proceed t.
estimate property, for it can be readil!
seen from figures above that an explana
ton Is necessary.
1t seems to me that property should be
assessed at what the owner would be will
ing to take for 1t If he was disposed to sci
for cash. That is the criterion Of yslu,
contemplated by law.
| desire. in conclusion, to state that,
have offered and am still willing to taxi
ten per cent. less for my storehouse proper
W than what the Board OF Mayor and Al
dermen have assessed 1t at
would like to ask If w. W, Shannon,
member of the equalizing Board, is willing
to take ten per cent. more Than what b,
has assessed his livery stable and lot. an,
residence and lot and half interest in tb,
three stores and lots. II he is so willing
assure him that | wall without any cost t.
him, endeavor to find him u purchaser n
once, Yours truly,
j.. T., RlNES,