Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-04
GREAT INCREASE
IN VALUATION
MARVELLOUS GROWTH OF LOS
ANGELES IN ONE YEAR
Real Estate Assessment Shows Gain
of Ss1 1887, ,sse Over 1eo5-RapId
Improvement in Every
Direction

CITY Assessor Lewis has been de-
voting the past six months to a per
sonal investigation of realty values III
Los Angeles, covering all sections Oh
the city. He has placed fair valuation
on every foot of taxable property west
of the Los Angeles river. The hgures
are of lively interest to property own
ers. investors and citizens generally,
and fully corroborate the claims of The
Herald to the effect that Los Angeles
is growing and expanding month by
month at a marvellous pace.
Valuation Figures
Assessor Lewis conservative esti-
mate of total assessed valuation in Los
Angeles and personal property for the
fiscal year 1867, is S1SS, 500, 900 as
sessed valuation for 1906, $156, 1852, Ill;
gain in one year. S31 .sS7,s
Assessed valuation. 1901. S 65.599 ,92O
Gain In six years .....,........... IZZ,9olVoV
Assessments are made on a basis of
so per cent of the actual valuations.
Assessment valuations for past six
years. showing how Los Angeles
grows:
1901 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $500 920
1905 s6,S16785
190S-4 20
19D45 IZ6'I269o3
1867 ESTIMATED ................... lSS,ooO,VVo
In many cases valuations of property
lying west of the river have been
raised 500 to 600 per cent. Valuation
of property east of the river will begin
this week. taking in Boyle Heights
and other sections.
Every Section Growing
Assessor Lewis is quoted as saying:
"There is no decaying section of Los
Angeles The city is growing in every
direction. Buildings are going UP
everywhere. From the Buena Vista
street bridge to Santa Fe avenue in
the river section it has been said that
we have a decadent portion of the
city. 1 inspected every foot of the
territory and assertions to this effect
do not bear out the conditions.
raised property valuations as a conse-
quence. The new subdivisions are al
most too many to count The work OF
the assessors office this year has al
most grown beyond its capabilities
with the force at its command.
Enormous Increase In Values
valuations have increased enor-
mously. L have not begun my investi-
cations of banks and other corpora
tions, but there will be a natural in
crease there also. A thorough valua-
for years, and as a result the taxa
tion has been unequal. I have tried to
equalize taxes in every section of the
city, something which has not been
done hitherto. Those who find that
have valued their property at five to
six times what it has been assessed
at In the past may be disagreeably
surprised. Others who expected to see
their property valuations increased
over last year and find that it remains
the same or only slightly increased
will be pleased. The truth is that much
property has been more heavily taxed
than 1t should be in proportion to other
property. I have sought to remedy
this fault in the tax books.
When my deputies start on their
rounds next Monday they will carry on
their books the valuations 1 have made.
Property owners will be given all the
information as to our valuations they
desire. Hitherto they have not had
this advantage, as much as the real
estate valuations were made at the
same time that those on personal prop
erty were taken, or after March g.
"A1l improvements are assessed
higher in proportion than Is the real
estate. This year 1 have assessed i'm
provements at the old rate of 60 per
cent of the actual cost, as has been
done the last ten years. AS soon as I
have completed my work on this sea-
sons tax rolls / shall begin a revalua-
tion and equalization of taxation on
improvements, as l have done this
year on real estate. The valuation |
believe will be reduced to so per cent
and in some instances lower than that"