The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

o
That tax lodging. a species OF graft IS
one of the greatest evils Of this day and
generation is conceded by every honest
man. and that Washington has its full
quota OF tax dodgers and grafters Is
self-evident In my Judgment the as
SCISSORS are more responsible for this
shameful condition OF affairs than the
owners Of property. at least so far as
real estate is concerned
ut is not only wrong, but il is I'M
safe" said ex-Presdent Harrison in a
speech before the Union League Club of
Chicago in 1885 ito make show in our
homes and on the street that is lot
made in the tax returns. This country
cannot continue TO exist half taxed and
half free. Each person has a personal
iuzerest-a pecuniary interest-in the tax
returns OF h!s neighbor. We are mem
bers of q great partnership, and IL is
the right of each TO know what every
other member is contributing to the
partnership and what he is taking from
II. II Is not a private affair; II Is
public concern OF the first imp. rtance.
THUS encouraged by the words of the
honest man and great Statesman. above
quoted. l make bold to challenge the
fairness OF the past and present assess
n:enIs OF real estate and personal prop
erty in his District.
Testimony of Experts.
In 1892. under oath before select
committee of the House of Representa-
tives. appointed Ito inquire into ali al
legged Irregularities pertaining 10 assess
ments In the District Of Columbia. g"
Samuel Phillips. ex-president of the
Washington and Georgetown Railroad
Company. a large owner Of real estate,
and an expert on the value OF such prop
erty. said: II have been familiar with
every asses ment made in Washington
during the past thirty years, and there
has never been one which has not been
Viciously defective. bearing severely on
some who were generally the poorer
class with inexpensive improvements:
and favoring the richer with large and
important buildings. Inc rlch
man will probably get OF with the paw
ment of one-half the taxes that are
placed upon the poorer men.
A number Of other experts on real es-
tate values gave similar evidence before
that committee. which is printed IN
House Report. No 1853, t1fty-SecOnd
Congress. first session.
Petworth Protests.
With these statements in mind. and af-
ter investigation having reason 70 be
lieve that all subsequent assessments
had been ''viciously defective" / intro
duced. and the Petworth Citizens Assn
adopted. a series of resolution setting
forth the above facts. and requested the
assessors 10 correct the injustice com
planned OF by assessing all properly
equitably on the basis of value. with
out fear or favor, as required by law.
The Assessors Statement.
In reply to these resolutions Hope
well II. Daneille issued state
ment addressed to me Commissioners in
~,
which he asserted that certain state
ments in the resolutions of the Petworth
Association were unjust and conveyed
IAN imputation which the board OF as
SCISSORS iutly resents." In the state
ment referred TO he also said; The
assessing OF either real or personal prop
erty is IN the abstract purely matter
OF opinion based upon experience and
comparison. do not undertake
Ie defend the action Of the authorities
intrusted with the assessment or real
estate for the past thirty years, but
with full knowledge Of the records
OF this office. / can state that kEoW
of no radical departures from what val
ues should have been. IN regard
TO the discrimination in favor OF -arge
holdings. Il may or may not De lhai
property for years has been assessed
uniuStIy "a that small homes have paid
from % TO 80 per cent higher rate. but
certain II is that such is not the case
are assessed on the same basis"
The majority OF taxpayers tand every
man and woman pays taxes directly OF
Indirectly will. doubtless, agree with
Mr. Darneille that the assessing OF prop
erty in the abstract has been purely
matter of opinion" and. in a very
large number of cases. very poor opin'
Ion. indeed.
IT. with a full knowledge OF the rec
ords OF his Office the assessor knOWs
of "nc radical departures form what val
ha h.-a /
~ suggest that he store his mind VIII
useful knowledge" by reading House re-
port No. 1853. above referred to.
Disagrees With the Assessor.
Notwithstanding Mr. DarnelIle's as
sertion that both large and sinai
properties are assessed on the same
basis" under the new assessment, al
examination of the assessments on I
large number OF improvements in diff
ferent sections OF the city has demon
strated to my satisfaction that the as
easements on that class of property
vary from about 40 10 co per cent o,
true value. and in exceptional case!
still higher on small improvements
averaging about so per cent for tn
District, the advantage, as usual. bein!
in favor Of the larger and more valua
BILE building.
Alleged Outrageous Discrimination.
But, great as are the inequalities II
the assessment Of improvements, the in
equalities In the assessments Of land II
different sections Of the city and coun
ty, and even in the same locality, ar
very much greater, and the diScrimina
tion in favor OF the land Spectator a
against the home owner and home seek
er is simply outrageous
Land Values in Flew York.
The last assessment in Create
New York shows that the value o
land in that city is SS.697. 6S6.935. an
OF improvements $i,10O. 657, S54-th
land values being "a per cent of tn
whole.
Land Values in Washington.
The value of the land in the DistriC
OF Columbia is probably 70 per cen