The San Francisco call., 1905-08-24
Decrease IN the
Assessment
Refused.
Instead Motion
for Increase
Is Made.
Special Dispatch to The Call

epecAA OaspAtch TO The Call
SACRAMENTO, Aug. 2S.-The State
Board OF Equalization to-day refused to
comply with the request of the officials
OF Los Angeles County that its assess
ment be reduced Is per cent. Following
this a motion was made by Equalizer
William H. Afford to cite Los Angeles
County 10 appear to show why its as
sessment should not be raised The mo-
uon came as a climax TO the rather acri-
monious discussion OF yesterday between
representatives Of Los Angeles and San
Francisco relative to the comparative val
uations placed on real estate in the two
cities. At the request Of Chairman Alex
ander Brown Affords motion was with
drawn, with the understanding that IT
would be renewed tomorrow.
The Board Of Supervisors of Los An
geles County yesterday asked the State
Board Of Equalization for a reduction of
; slO.oOo.eoO in the assessments levied by
Assessor Benjamin Ward. 1t developed
at the hearing that the Los Angeles
County Board OF Equalization had thrown
out assessments on quasi-public corpora
tions amounting TO sl0.O0O.o0O and that
the average OF assessment in that county
ran only TO S5 per cent Of the selling
value Of the property while in San Fran
cisco IL is nearer 65 per cent. To-day, on
motion of Equalizer r. H Beamer, the
request Of Los Angeles County was de-
MED, and Affords motion looking to a
raise OF the Los Angeles assessment fol-
lowed.
HOWELL BEFORE BOARD.
Representatives OF the San Francisco
Real Estate Board appeared before the
State Board OF Equalization to-day in
reference to that city and countys as
D sessment. No application on the part
Of San Francisco for a reduction in as
sessment has been made, but the mem
bers Of the Real Estate Board were de-
sirous Of showing that Assessor WASH
ingtOn Dodge had assessed properties
fairly.
cisco was IN attendance. as were his
deputies. W. 3. Prichard and NJ w.
Pratt President J. r. Howell of the
San Francisco Real Estate Board and
Directors Z. L. Hoag and David Rich
We're also present The Los Angeles
delegation. which appeared yesterday,
was also in attendance.
President Howell opened for San Fran
cisco's representatives, stating that
Dodge's assessment was fair, to say the
least, inasmuch as he had increased
the assessment generally l6h per cent
this year He volunteered the statement
that properties outside Of San Francisco
are assessed at a lower percentage Of
selling value
In answer to a question by Equalizer
Frank B. Mattison. Howell said he be-
heved that improvements in San Fran
cisco had been assessed at so per cent
OF their value at least. Mattison replied
that II such be the case, San Francisco
should show an increase in the last few
years OF $50. 100000 Howell said buildings
had deterioriated IN value. but in the
case of many of them no reduction in
assessment had been made in thirty
years. He cited a case of a building
which was assessed at $150,000 being given
away TO a contractor to remove II from
the land.
DODGE GIVES FACTS.
Assessor Dodge interposed to say that
in nearly every instance of this character
he assessed the land so high that the
loss on assessment on the buildings was
more than made I'D. He said the press
Of the State had given publicity to the
bstatement that SIS. .0OO 900 Of improvements
in San Francisco had been assessed for
only S2,00OO00. DR.. Dodge said that he
had explained to the board that this
SIS 000, 900 improvements had been assessed
at a valuation OF S7.500,000 or 30 per cent
of its value. However, there had been
written off for deterioration on old build
ings over 5000. 900. This gave the erron-
eous impression that the sl5.000,00o of new
Improvements had been assessed for only
1000, ,OOo
He made the statement that ii cost 20
10 40 per cent more to construct buildings
in San Francisco than IL does to construct
them in Los Angeles. owing principally
20 the difference of the wage scale be-
tween the two cities. Dodge also said the
advance Of structural steel, iron and 9TH
'er building materials had increased the
coast Of building in San Francisco
Chairman Brown asked Rich If he
handled Los Angeles properties, and the
latter replied IN the negative. Brown
suggested that Los Angeles growth was
too rapid for him, but Rich said IL was
too slow for him 10 bother with, this
declaration causing a hearty laugh at
the expense of the Los Angeles delega-
ton.
Dodge said, in answer to a question by
Chairman Brown, that the Assessors in
the State are the poorest paid Of all OFF,
Gals. For himself, Dodge said he had no
complaint TO make, for his salary had
been doubled. Even at this, he said,
many Of his deputies were merely mes
sengers. They are sent out 10 make as
sessments, but have to take the sworn
STATEMENTS OF owners as TO the value OF
properties Dodge said the sooner the
people of the various counties of the
State awake to the fact that IL is real
economy to provide the Assessors with
eEUfficient help the sooner will their coun-
ty returns on taxations be Increased.
Los ANGELES DEFEATED.
Assessor BENJAMIN Ward of Los An
geles County said the reports in the pa
pers yesterday would give the impression
that realty values in Los Angeles are on
a precariOus footing. He said the news
paper reports were justified TO an extent
by the statements made before the board
yesterday. However, the only slump IN
values in and about Los Angeles had ap-
peared at RedOndo Beach. The people
went wild over the prospects and values
increased by daily jumps. which were
not warranted by actual conditions Ex-
81. Ifxrx val n
and about Los Angeles are on safe and
sane basis.
When the hearing of San Francisco had
been completed. Equalizer r. II. Reamer