Evening journal., 1909-06-16
COMPLAIN OF
THE ASSESSMENT
Real Estate Men Tell Levy
Court Work is Poorly
Done

There was conference yesterday ar
ternoon between the real estate agents
Of Wilmington and the Levy Court re-
garding property assessment Trouble
is constantly occurring under the pres
ent system, as stated In THE EVENING
JOURNAL last week. The real estate
men have formed the Real Estate Brok-
ers Association and among the speak
ers was Henry Hopes, who said the
association desired TO bring tho matter
to the attention OF the Levy Court. and
see n some reforms could be made in
the manner Of levying assessments. and
collecting taxes. IIe said there are
cases where the same property Is as
sessed to three different persons. and
that this causes much trouble and am
noyance 70 property owners and real
estate agents, and often entails loss. lie
cited cases where this condition Of ar
fairs was not ascertained for three years
after the taxes had been paid by one
Of the three, and at that late day II
is often tho case where the "last day"
notice is received, and tho taxes hav-
ing been paid three years before. and the
receipt mislaid there Is trouble lie
said that the real estate men did not
trouble the receiver OF taxes about these
things, because they knew the situation.
but that Receiver Burns and his office
force were IN continual "hot water" from
persons who did not understand the rea-
son why these notices were received. He
stated that II was a hardship TO the
taxpayers TO be UP against this tax
system Of assessment, and urged that
some action be taken
Charles G. Kurtz remarked that he
had made recommendations for reforms
five times as auditor Of tho county's
funds. Mr.. Iiwtz said the assessors
simply copy their work from the books
Of former assessors instead Of making a
new assessment
Alfred b. Moore cited cases where
there have been properties assessed In
the same names for twenty-five years,
though tho properties have changed
hands many times during that period
He stated that if the method prescribed
by law was followed, errors could not
occur. as tho transfers would be made
on tho books every month. lie said
there WIS no doubt Of the authority or
the Levy Court to take the necessary ac-
tion In tho matter.
County Treasurer Burns told OF the
trouble caused by tho neglect OF the
assessors. Transfers Of property arc not
followed and duplicates and trplicatcs
Of property assessments arc found
Mr. Dennison said he knew Of such as
sessments. The tax rate Is laid on the
assessment and If there are 5000 OF
properties each assessed 10 three differ
ent persons that means $1,000 on the
assessment where there should be but
5000. Many Of these errors make large
assessments and when Mr.. Burns dis
covers them they must be allowed as
errors.
President Dsyett thanked the deega-
ton for bringing up the matter
Following are the members of tho Real
Estate Brokers Association who are now
urging a change IN the system Of ASSESS
ment and collection Of county taxes be-
fore the Levy Court:
Delaware Trust Company. J. jackson
Peirce. Christopher J. O'Keefe. Ernest
R MacNair. Equitable Guarantee and
Trust Co. Wilmington Trust Company.
Security Trust and Safe Deposit Co.
Thomas r. McEvilly Co. George r.
Townsend and rompany. william J.
Fisher. Gibbons & Moore. Alfred TAFT, C..
W. Griffith. Charles W. Gooding. G. IT,
Hayden, Henry Hopes. Charles c.
Kurtz. J. J. Monaghan. Morris & Taze-
well, J. Milton Maddox. George NJ. Mil
ler Tatnall & Company, A. r. Stayton
National Roal Estate Trust Co.. Stafford
Real Estate co.
william H.. Gibbons president; Charles
c. Kurtz, vice-p president; Alfred TAFT
secretary and treasurer.