The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-10-08

Changes OF a most important nature
IN the Office Of the District assessors,
and in the manner in which assess
ments on real estate are levied, were
recommended 70 the District COmmis-
S-CneTs today in a report submitted by
the board OF assistant assessors.
The report which is signed by A
Mckenzie. Il @. Davis and 5 T. Kalb-
fUs. and which was submitted at the
request Of Commissioner Rudolph,
urges change in existing Law %
authorize the board Of assistant as
SCISSORS TO review tax assessments
each year. instead OF every three
years, as a. present. and also asks for
G.u thortzation 70 employ two men who
NTOuie spend all Of theif time ascer-
tainine the actual value Of property
IN the District
The report calls attention 70 the fact
that no plan Of assessment can en-
tircly eliminate complaints Of in
eQualities IN assessments against re-
city, but the suggestion Is made that
many Of these Inequalities could BE-
corrected by a better office system.
and by making annual assessment re-
views.
To Obtain Results.
Accurate results could be obtained.
says the report, by employing two par
Ties who are conversant with real es-
tate conditions in the District Of ColuTn-
biaI and whose duty would lie 10 obtain
In a confidential manner. prices OF sales
OF realty and who would keep strictly
up 20 Gate a card index. showing such
prices and containing the numbers uI
ne square lot and house During the
las. ICW years some effort has Ee6n
nldde toward lnStLuuDg sUCn q system,
but most Of the valuations shown on
these cards have been from salts IN
judicial proceedings and from sucu
prices as could be obtained from war;
Gus deeds. The result v hile Cf some
value. has been too msaglr 10 alfori
definite aid for tie board Of asse s8Ts
so that their general knowledge OF
values have been frCshened byn lao iiri,s
among persons COuVeEsanI win recent
sales ! quote herewith from the re-
port Of committee on taxa ion and as
SeSsment published IN the eighteenth
annual report OF the Washington Board
Of Trade.
lhe opinion OF YOUR comm Ttee, be more
nearly reached, II the Board OF As
SCISSORS were IN possession Of statistical
data relating 20 real estate that would
give, as near as may be. the actual
LgCreS upon which transfers are made
rather than personal opinions Gas IS
now the caseJ of members of the
Board OF Assessors, or Of any expert
. testimony on value they may be able
10 command II Is believed by VOry,-
committee that much more definite ac-
curate and reliable valuations can be
provided for under such regulations as
VIII insure uniform and confined prose-
cution of the work.
Would Be of Value.
" Your committee believes that tbfs
data, if gathered as suggested, would
be Of immediate and continued value
TO the business community, IN that il
would enable the vender and purchaser,
the borrower and lender. quickly to ar
rive a values which now are ascer-
! tanned only after tedious delays incident
20 visiting the property, and are sub
iect TO doubt and criticisms. llsua Nv
following figures named BY the so-caIled
expert on values
% To insure uniformity and continued
effort IN gathering this data, your com
mittee believes that the work should he
ordered and prosecuted under an act
Of Congress
''If this plan is adopted bv the Comuis-
siOners, independent or any other sug-
gested change, il viii tend TO more. near
" eQualize taxes and greatly increase
The District revenues.
"If the proposition for the enipIovuent
Of two persons by the Assessor In his
annual report. herein quoted. meets with
favorable consideration, we would earn
estly suggest that provision FOR this i'm
mediate employment be made. and at
a compensation that viii command men
OF character and ability, saw from
5000 to 500 per snnun. These men
would IN tine become experts in oroD-
erty valuations. and should become an
available reserve force for promotion TO
the Board Of Assessors as va.S4ncies oc-
cured.
Would Amend Act.
Second-We would recommend thaA
the act Of August Il. 1894. entitled AN
act 10 provide an immediate revision
and equalization Of real estate values in
the District Of Columbia, etc, etc DC
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