The Washington herald., 1907-10-30

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The 1907 Assessment.
For the fiscal year ended June 80. 1sj7,
/ the assessed value Of real estate for the
/ District Of Columbia was S2473l6, ,4gl, with
a total real estate tax Of S3.70959I43. The
increase Of assessed valuation for the
/ year 1908, as compared with 1897. due to
new buildings and additions. is Sl20.21J.le
/ A reduction Of $4,000 was made I'm the
assessment for the present fiscal year.
owing 10 the demolition OF buildings for
the railroad terminal improvements.
The personal tax levy for the fiscal year
ended June 30. 1907. totals SS05.6SS Under
/ this head comes the taxes on personal
property. and on the gross earnings of
/ electric light companies. national banks
trust and telephone companies building
and loan associations, incorporated saw
iugs banks, and street railways The
largest of these Items was that of street
railways the tax Of : per cent on their
gross earnings amounting to nearly $50
CO., ard for the use of highway bridges,
nearly 5000
The summary of new buildings, addi-
/ tions. and improvements made during the
fiscal year just ended, for assessment IN
1905. totals. with a deduction of about
500, 600 trife over 100000. The assess
ment OF the value OF buildings exempt
from taxation is S2f3.S00, leaving q net
taxable assessment Of ST.949,l7I
\ total increase in the matter Of new
buildings during the year just past Of
l,577 is recorded total buildings repaired.
2l5 divided among the different sections
of the city, with the northwest leading,
with 554 buildings, valued at approx
mately S2,J00.0JO The northwest section
also leads in the number of fiat build
ings assessed, having fOrty-seven 10 its
credit, valued at $1,000. New buildings
numbering 500 were assessed IN the county
west OF North Capitol street. with an
assessed value per building of nearly
4O00. A statement of the value OF real
property in the District of Columbia as
assessed for taxation from 1871 10 1905,
inclusive, shows an increase Of nearly
$lJ0W0o0 during that period.
Personal Tax Increases.
A statement showing the personal taxes
levied for the years 1903. 1901. 1905, 1906. and
1907 notes an increase in the total levied
during the past year over that Of 1903
amounting TO $1,000; Of collections, ap-
proximateIy Sl9S,0OO, and the balance un-
paid Of about $4,000
Special assessments during the fiscal
year of 1907, covering permit work, i'm
provements and repairs, county roads and
sewer work, amounted to So, with
an increase over the preceding year Of
SS5.OO0O0
The report further states that the board
Of assistant assessors is nearing the
completion Of the triennial assessment of
1g0S-l9ll: that Will come before the board
Of equalization and review, which meets
on the first Monday in January 1908
Assessor Griffin recommends that the
sessions Of this body be shortened to ex-
tend until the first Monday in April only
instead of the first Monday in June. as
at present From a careful perusal Of
the assessments to date, Inspector Grif-
fin thinks that the board, by applying
the principle Of twO-thirds Of the true
value based upon actual view OF the
property, and other careful consideration.
has arrived at a just system of as
sessment, and one which will materially
increase the revenues of the District
The personal tax levy for the fiscal year
1905. based upon the assessment Of the
year just passed, is SSj0,OGO this being in
definite, however, until after the close
Of the session Of the board Of personal
tax appeals.
BY direction Of Commissioner West.
detailed statement upon the subject of the
taxation of public utility corporations In
the District Of Columbia, in order 10 de-
teTmine whether these corporations are
fully assessed under the law, made for
the hrst time in the history of the as
SCISSORS office shows that these corpora
tions paid about II per cent Of the total
amount of taxes on realty and personally
collected in the year 1907.
How Taxes Are Fixed.
These utilities are taxed as follows:
Street railways, 4 per cent Of their gross
receipts; gas companies. . per cent on
their gross earnings, and 11-2 per cent
on their real estate; electric lighting COM
panies. per cent on their gross earnings.
and ! 1-2 per cent on their real estate;
companies, 4 per cent on their
gross earnings, and 11-2 per cent on their
realty; telegraph companies, no tax on
gross earnings or capital taxed on real
estate and personally; steamboat com
panies 1-2 per cent on value Of ships.
vessels, and boats.
The report Tenews the previous recon- /
mendation for a decreased tax upon ma
tional banks and trust companies, alleg-
ing that the tax Of per cent on their
gross earnings, and an additional tax on
their realty holdings is not in accordance
nor consistent with that imposed upon
similar businesses in other jurisdictions.
A renewal is asked of the previous
recommendation in regard TO proposed