The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-05
BUSINESS REALTY
is TO Be BOOSTED
Assessor Plans General In
crease of Assessments in
Central District.
HAS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM
COMPLICATED BY SHIFTING
CENTER OF TRADE

An increase in the assessments on real
property and improvements in the busl-
ness district for 1908 from 10 to % per cent
has practically been decided upon by {.
NJ. Brown, county assessor, and the men,
bers Of the board of county commission
ers. The matter has been discussed at
some length by the commissioners and the
assessor during the past three months and
although no definite conclusions have been
arrived at there does not seem to be any
doubt .but that some action along this
line viii be taken.
This can be done in two ways. The as
SCISSOR can do il or the commissioners sit
ting as a board of equalization can make
an arbitrary raise throughout the business
district if the members see tit; IL IS PIoD-
able that the assessor viii make the raise
however. as he is known to favor such
plan.
The supreme court has held that the
commissioners have the power 10 take any
district and make a raise or decrease as
desired within its boundaries from the as
sessment fixed by the county assessor.
The ma tier came up a dozen years ago
when the commissioners cut the assess
ment of plat r approximately % per cent
and the action of the board was sus-
tanned
is considerable discrepancy between the
assessments on real estate ana improEI-
ments i'm the business district ana IN lne
due to the assessor. but Is due to condl-
lions which have tended to make more
complex the problem of equitable assess
ments throughout the city.
Shifting of Business Center.
Among these is the shifting of the bust
ness center and the consequent rapid rise
and depreciation in the value OF properly
depending upon the location of the new
center of trade
This has been particularly true during
the past eight or ten years For tIne
the property Main between First and
Second South was considered the most
valuable Then the building up of the
block between SeconS and Third south
streets boosted prices in that locality; FIN
ally came the erection of the federal build
ing between Third and Fourth South
streets and the NewhOuse purchase of
year ago.
AS the center of the business district
has gone steadily southwark from South
Temple street the values of the land on
the side streets has naturally increased OF
decreased according 70 circumstances;
Again the values on West Temple ana
State streets have also shifted from one
block to another. depending upon cohol-
lions.
Constant Friction Results.
With these facts in view it will be seen
that considerable difficulty has been ex-
perienced from year TO year in determin-
ing the relative value of property Tor as
sessment purposes. one year me PIIsU prop.
South would be assessed at $500 front
foot with the usual % per cent addiuonai
for corner lots. The next year II the as
SCISSOR attempted to fix the assessment at
the same figure there would be much com
plant because it would be said that the
value of the land had deprecated and the
assessment should be reduced. The prop
erty owners further south and those on
the side streets would in turn complain
that their property had not increased IN
value as amuch as the assessor thought by
Of ha hI1S
constant jangling and disagreements re-
When Newhouse made his purchases the
assessor and commissioners thought II
would be a good idea at first to raise
the assessment on the block between Fhird
and Fourth South streets Upon second
thought. however; this was not done, as
1t was not thought advisable TO dlscour-
age such enterprises by raising the as
sessments Immediately upon the purchase
of the land
Plan Complete Reassessment.
II is now thought that the stability Of
the business center is assured at least
Tor a few wears and that the entire busl-
ness center can be reassessed and the
property there made to pay on 1alr val
uatiOn AT present the highest valuation
is 81 100 a front foot on Main street, where
property has been sold as hlgh as s4'VOt
a front foot. The supreme court, however
has held that the value of property toT
assessment purposes is what II can be
sold Tor III the open maj hel a. q AO4OCu
sale and for this reason the assessor Is
constantly hampered when he endeaVors
10 base a valuation on what the property
has brought for speculative purposes.
IL would not seem strange to see the
maximum valuation boosted to A.5O a
front foot. If this were done and improve
ments assessed correspondlngly hgheI
there would be a considerable decrease in
the amount of taxes which the property
owners in the residence district would
have to pay, as residence. properly Is nov
assessed at nearly its full value.