Evening journal., 1911-03-28
BANNING BALKS
ON ASSESSMENT
Tells Levy Court Raise Was
Prompted by Personal
Reason
COMMISSIONERS WILL
VIEW THE PROPERTY

James l.. Banning, President of City
Council. appeared before the Levy
Court today to protest against a raise
Of assessment on his property and two
other properties in the Eleventh ward.
He alleged that Frank McGovern in
formed him the raise was made
through Mr.. Dennison and that AMI
mostly existed and that Mr. Dennison
had said Banning made me dig, now
I'll make Banning dig" The city as
sessment on Mr.. Dennison's property
had been increased $500. and the
county assessment on the Banning
property has been increased from $14,-
700 10 $4,000 At the hearing this
morning Mr. Banning alleged that Mr..
Dennison had said that II Mr.. Ban
ming could fix Mr.. Dennisons assess
ment the Banning assessment would
be reduced. Mr. Banning said he could
not II he would and would not If he
could, and therefore he would not con-
slider such a plan. Mr. Banning is a
member of the Board OF Assessment
and Appeals for the city. The work 10
him Is disagreeable al times. he said.
Regarding his property, Mr.. BAN
ming branded the raise in his assess
ment as due 10 a grudge He said he
did not believe the Levy Court would
stand for personal spite or grudge He
asked for the reduction Of his assess
ment and also that on the property Of
! John J McGovern and Francis Nc
| Govern The assessment on the Gle
land estate is $4,000, he said. The
property Of Mrs. G. r. Van Trump has
about the same acreage and is asVess-
ed at $4,000. His house Is better han
the Van Trump property, he said
In reply to President Dayett. Mr.
Banning said the assessor did not sd
him and the raise In assessment is on
the books I'm red ink.
Mr. Elliott said the raise would be
made by the court only by resolu-
ton.
Mr. Banning said Mrs. Dennlson in
formed him the resolution had been
passed
McG0vern Defends Banning.
City Councilman John ] McoGvern
said Mr. Banning had covered the af-
fair thoroughly He could not under
stand why Mr.. Banning. Francis Nc
Govern and himself had been raised.
He learned OF alleged retaliation re-
gardinR the city and county ASSESS
ments, he said Last Friday MI.
Dennison informed him the commit
tee had viewed these properties Mr..
Dennison suggested TO him to come to
the Levy Court He was opposed to
the sacrifice Of the oath Of ofice and
honor In this case. He could not
understand why three properties
should be singled out In the Eleventh
y ward. The land Of the Clelanl
4 estate Is held at $500 TO $500 an acre
I His assessment was raised from 90
n to $4,000, and his brothers propert
r from $500 to $1,000, Mr. McGovcr
4 said.
"A Mr.. Dennison asked that the resoli
ton be read The minutes shove
10 that on March .. at the afternoon Sc,
n sion Of the court. Mr.. Dennison wa
4 in the chair. Mr.. Elliott presente
4 the resolution and Mr.. Dayett sec
! onded it.
+ Mr. Dennison said that he took tht
committee 10 see the properties. Until
after the assessment was made the
committee did not know OF the city
assessment They nor he had nc
bias in the affair He said the court
took In the whole matter Of assess.
! ment and at first the amount was
Some hundreds of dollars. II he had
erred he knew Mr Banning erred. He
said he did not want Mr.. Banning te
r give him any favors.
= Francis McGovern's property Il
+ assessed in the city for $1,000, and he
4 holds It at $1,000. The assessor is no
doing his duty in the Eleventh ward
b Mr.. Dennison said. II the Clelanf
j. property Is held at 100000 then i
n should be assessed higher. He asked
e the Levy Court to inspect the Banning
2 property and II the assessment on Il
: is too high to reduce It, and II too
y low raise e. The Cleland property Il
y not in the city
! Mr. Perkins moved that the court in
y body visit the property. The in
y spection will be made az o'clock TO-
morrow.