Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-27
BRAyDEIS PROTEST ON RAISE
John L Kennedy Says Figures Of
Equalizers Are Ruinous.
WOULD MEAN DEATH TO BUSINESS
Assures the County Board that His
Firm VIII Go to the supreme
Court Before IL Complies
with Assessment.

"If the policy Of the board is legal and Is
carried out we might as well shut up our
store and move out Of town"
This statement was made by John L.
Kennedy, representing Brandeis & Sons, at
the close Of a heated argument before the
County Board of Equalization Friday MORN
ing. He was protesting against an in
crease in the assessment of the property
proposed by the board.
IF the board can carry out this policy
and carries it far enough you will have
grass growing in the principal streets Of
the city. You are picking out improved
property and planning a tax on enterprise.
That policy is wrong, You may be able to
make up pay these increased taxes, but
we will not do 1t until the supreme court
says we have to. l do not question the
intentions of the board, but your policy is
bad"
Mr.. Kennedy declared the Courtney store,
corner at Seventeenth and Douglas streets,
had been bought for $4,000 and 1t is as
sessed at $50, 800. He declared the prop
erty could be bought for less than this
amount.
while we think the valuations made
by the county assessor are too high, we
will abide by them. But II you attempt to
force his valuations up, will go 10 the
supreme court before we will submit"
over Million Dollars.
The assessment of the Brandeis property
as returned by the assessor was fixed at
$4,000 for the land and $3.50 O for the
building. a total Of sso5, coo. The board pro-
poses to raise It to $4,000 for the land
and $4,000 for the building, a total OF
81, 1000. The Courtney corner was as
sessed at $4,000 for the land and s42.5G0 for
the building by the assessor and the
boards proposed figures are $4,000 for the
land and s42, 500 for the building. a total OF
$3.50
Mr.. Kennedy said he wanted a. time set
for a formal hearing, when testimony will
be introduced and taken down in short
hand. At his request the board set Tues
day at 3 o'clock as the time for the hear
ing. Al this time several other property
owners will be heard.
The board took no action on any of the
protests against the proposed increases In
uptown valuations. A dozen property
owners were heard and the cases taker
under Amusement.
Net rents are lower than they were
fifteen years ago. declared Cadet Taylor
representing property at the corner of Six
tenth and Dodge streets. The gross
amount of the rentals may be a little high
but increased taxes and other fixed charges
make the net rentals lower than they were
then"
huker Makes Protest.
G. F. Shukert was another property owner
who made a vigorous protest against the
proposed raise. His property, which Is
now being remodeled by Tolf Hansen for g
restaurant was assessed at $4,000 by the
assessor and raised to sos, 900 by the board.
How much rental do you get for you
property under your contract with, Han,
sen?' asked Mr.. Kennard.
1T is my business and not yours II
made a good DEAL" said Mr.. Shukert
holly.
old Count Creighton home at Twentieth
and Chicago streets from $4,000 to $24,5oO
John d. Creighton. who owns it now, sale
he had bought If for SIS, 900.