New-York tribune., 1905-01-10
TAX RATE UP FIVE POINTS.
MAYOR'S POOR GUESS.
BOrOs0ing Capacity $4,000. 900
Less than He Estimated


I, as estimated by Mayor Mcclellan
and Controller Gnout. sseooonoo
city's borrowing capacity, as shown
by the tax rolls made public yester-
Gay, about OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 10000 900
Increase in realty for 1905 ....... size SOC. .ooo
Increase in personally for 1905. . 10000 600
Totai increase, real and personal,
al bOrOushs shs,.................... .s2oe, 1000
REALTY INCREASES BY BoRoUGHs.
Manhattan slls.OOO.OOO Queens .... s.oooooo
Brooklyn S7.000.000 Richmond e. 100000
Bronx ..... 100000
The assessment rolls for 1905. opened TO the
public by the Tax Department yesterday, show
the estimate Of the city's borrowing capacity by
Mayor Mcclellan and Controller Grout to be
uhder the mark by more than 100000. This
means. practically. that the city this year will
have TO spend just about so much less than the
Board OF Estimate and Apportionment had
counted on. The showing Of the Tax Depart
nent greatly surprised and disappointed Mayor
Mcclellan and Controller Grout.
Mayor Mcclellan in his message TO the Board
Of Aldermen week ago said:
From report made TO the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment by the Controller on De-
osnber 6, 1904. It may be reckoned that the
normal increase per Of the cty's bor-
rowing capacity will be between S3o,ooo,ooo and
sS5oooooo.
The tax rate for 1905 VIII according 10 pres
snt estimates. which may have TO be raised, be
about Sl5 20 on the thousand Of assessed valua-
non. or, as the tax officials put it, 155, as
g.
that the increase in realty assessments last
yar. computed by the Low administration.
amounted 10 nearly S4cO.OOO.OOO. 1t was matter
Ot surprise yesterday that the increase in vslua-
tons this year is not greater.
NO REDUCTIONS. SAYS o'DoNNEL.
When President O'DonneI Of the Tax Depart
Eeut was asked about the small increase yes
isrday he said:
We expect 10 hold the present assessments at
nc figures fixed by the department Last year
nxpsyers secured heavy reductions from their
assessed valuations. The assessments this year
were made in as reasonable a manner as pos
Ebe The tax officials taking pains to impose
only what the actual facts warranted. We have
ripsd out the ola practice of putting corpora
ton8 the books for large amounts, only TO
ave the officers Of the companies come around
NC swear of the entire amounts. BY eXer-
AllE ulSfflnlndtlllS judgment, we belieVe that
es amounts assessed against corporations this
sfl- viii stand aS assessed
In spite Of President O'DonneTs explanation.
tbere Is universal cause for wonder that the
actual facts were not furnished the Controller
snd Mayor that IN the data used by the
Mayor in his message TO the Board Of Aldermen
he could have been within bounds instead Of
saying that the increase in assessments would
give The city debt incurring capacity OF from
100000 10 S35,O00O00 a year
President O'Donnel must have known on Ian
nsry that the increase in assessments did not
aggregate $500 10000 or S35OO0O.OOO but ap-
psrently his Office furnished Controller Grout
oata 70 that effect, and the Controller turned
hat data over 70 the Mayor who used it only
week ago in telling the taxpayers about the
condition Of the city's finances. A shrinkage
q more than Sl0OO00O0 in the city's credit
u one week is enough TO cause Intelligent peo-
pe to ask questions. Controller Grout when
asked about the discrepancy, said he might have
something 10 say about il later. He seemed
/" be a good deal disturbed about it.
Inc sharp rise in the tax rate viii not be
~eoome item Of news to taxpayers who ex-
pseted that the increase in assessments would
Aeep the tas rate at last years figure.
me lax books VIII remain open until April l.
0eoie That date all who have objections to
maze TO either their real estate or personal
''sessfents. must appear in person before the
commissioners in their respective boroughs. and
-s Claims sor reduction. After April 1 the work
making up the assessment rolls will begin
0eio| Is given list OF new buildings and in
ceased assessments:
R Rsysnt t5ogse. No. Ii1ss Broadway 81 100 900
pra venue Theatre, No. 1I93 Broadway. 800. 2l5 900