The Washington herald., 1912-08-22
RICHARD ISSUES
REPLY. TO GEORGE
In LONG REPORT
Continued from Page One.

within limited time the requirements of
the law. They do not believe that the
facts show that they discriminate In the
matter indicated in the report They be-
lieve that the committee has been mis-
led by certain testimony taken on the
subject Of taxation in the District.
Basis Higher Than Price.
''The board uses maps in comparing
their assessments, and they use rules
as far as they can be applied in the as
sessment OF real estate.
Nearly 80 per cent of the square be-
tween H and i. Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Streets has changed hands during the
last FIVE years. The value paid for sew
eral pieces of property was $4,000, and
the basis of our assessment is about
500. 900, or more than the amount Of the
sale.
THE east part of the square bound
ed by F and G. Fourteenth and Fif-
teenth streets has changed hands dur
GELS sold have aggregated s750.ooo. while
the basis of assessment is $4,000. These
two squares just mentioned are in the
heart of the high-clsss property.
Again. taking another square in the
same section bounded by Pennsylvania
Avenue, Tenth and Eleventh and f
streets, six pieces of property located in
hands since October. 1905. two of the
sales occurring during the present year
The sales have aggregated S2A.ooo and
the basis Of the assessment Is s262. 900. In
the square bounded by G street. II
street. Tenth and Eleventh streets. there
Rave been during the last four years
about eleven sales. aggregating $4,000.
the basis of the assessment being s3l1. 600.
In all the squares within the sections
named above there have been about two
hundred aggregate sales in the last four
CT five years. and these sales when add
ed and compared with the basis of as
sessment show the assessors figures to
be remarkably close 10 the actual con-
of the property.
Residence Taxes High.
Concerning the high-class homes. the
board feels safe in saying that high
assessed at higher rate than the small
homes. taken as a whole. There is prac-
tically no market for the very high-class
and the worth of such proper
ty Is well shown in a publication by
Hunt. of New York, on 'Princi-
pies of Land Values
Concerning the statement that SUBJ
urban areas Of large extent are assessed
at 20 per cent of their full value. l sub
nit few examples of worth of high
class property. The Eastern Park of the
tract, north of woodley Road.
was lately sold at $500 an acre. The
basis of assessment was 1850 an acre.
Great stress is laid on the assessment
Of the Mclean tract in Wisconsin Ave
nue.. with the intimation that the tract is
worth 5000 an acre. Nevertheless. the
Nourse property, directly opposite, which
has a beautiful situation. and is well
adapted to a large suburban home. is Of
fered at less than 5000 an acre. without
any takers. Attention Is also invited to
the fact that property along Connecticut
Avenue is now assessed at about ten
times the amount of the assessment ff-
teen years ago, although there has been
no such rise in values during that time.
II is believed the present assessment Is
correct, although the assessors have very |
few sales to guide them in that locality. |
'I have great faith in suitable rules for !
the unit. Of value of land and |
applying 1t to particular parcels, but do |
not think that any rule can be applied in |
telligently by any other than those who |
are trained and who make a personal in |
spection OF the property.
Statement Not Based on Facts.
This report contains the amazing state |
ment (and II Is not based on facts with |
which 1 am acquainted that real prop
srty is assessed sil4, 900 below its true
value. 1t goes on to say that consider
ng ground values by themselves, these |
areas occupied by small homes, are as
sessed at so per cent of the true value;
those by middle class houses at 30 per 1
cent: those by fine residences at so per
cent: the business area a 30 per cent, and
he large suburban areas at 20 per cent.
THE committee certainly has been mis-
cad as to facts concerning ground as
sessments. Examining one part of the
statement we can determine what the
whole Is WORTH
Mr.. Richards ends his report with the
statement that the board of assessors
EEL that in its administration of taxa
ion matters 1t should reflect credit on the
of District affairs and
should not be an embarrassment to the
1t stands ready to supplement its report
,y any additional matter the Commission
RS may desire in order to show that they |,
rave conscientiously carried on their work
md have fulfilled the requirements Of law
Is fully as circumstances will allow.