The Washington herald., 1912-06-02

10 the increase IN the assessment on i'm
proysments would have given for 1917 q
total valuation on land Of 229,I7S,sSo. This
would have brought the total assessed
valuation Of the District from land and
improvements for 1872 to SSSs, 81, ,ss4, in
stead Of $50, So, IS, q difference Of $59,-
515,4ss.
Quotes Building Statistics.
Presenting statistics from the building
inspectors once, Mr.. Browne sought to
prove that $1,000, 900 Of the increased val
uation for 1872 falls upon old buildings Of
the poorer and middle class residential
type alone The increased valuation OF
improvements over the last triennIal as
sessment amounts to SS5,4S7.112 This in
cludes new improvements during that
period
The increase in improvements in 1910
over 1903 represent IS per cent Of the
amount shown by building permits OF
1903. improvements for which permits
are issued are not assessable until one
year after issuance.
The increase in improvement assess
ments in 1910 represents 81 per cent of
the amount shown by building permits in
1910 Accordingly, Mr.. Browne contends,
an average ratio of the building permits
OF 1911 OF IS per cent will represent the
new buildings and repairs in the assess
ment or improvements in 1872. Thus,
sHbtracting $ per cent Of the total
amount indicated for improvements
through building permits from the 1872
assessment on improvements, the figures
S1525So,0SS represent the assessed valua-
ton on old buildings alone. Substracting
from that amount the assessment on I'M
provements for 1911, the figures, S1O14s, So,
represent the additional assessed vaIua-
tion which has been tackled on old i'm
provements alone in the last three years
Small Homes Burdened.
This, so Mr.. Browne said, falls en-
tirely on small and middle-class homes
The witness said that a thorough inves-
tigation had been made to ascertain II
the increased assessments on improve
ments had been applied to any Of the
finer residences or large business build
ings, hotels, and apartments Of the Dis
trict.
He said Assessor Richards had been
able to name only one handsome resi-
dence and less than ten business build
iEgs where the assessment on the Inn
1882 increase, he said. falls on not less
than 5000 small homes, which is an
average rate Of about $406 home.
Mr.. Browne presented In evidence
lists of residences showing the In
creasea In assessments On Improve
ments In ten squares picked at random
from the NOrtheast, Southeast and
Southwest sections, representing the
smaller type Of homes The ngures
showed an increase in assessed valua-
don on improvements from 800 to $500 /
and running "a high n 31.2 per cent.
PrObers Get $4,000 More.
The House received an Informal and
verbal but none the less satisfactory re-
port Of the activities Of the committee
investigating the District OF Columbia
yesterday morning. when the resolution |
asking for an additional $1,000 to carry
on the probe was favorably reported |
from the Committee on Accounts. Chair
man johnson advised the House that |
his expert accountant had discovered I
that the District owes the Federal gov
ernment great deal Of money; Repre-
sentative George reported that as re-
suit Of his investigation into the taxation |
ana assessment conditions here, the land
valuation would be raised by approxI-
mateIy 100000 when the next assess-
ment rolls are made up; Representative
Dyer, who has been probing hospital /
conditions here, told the House that |
developments. and Representative Red
field, who has been looking into the sys-
tenn of purchasing and disposinr OF sup
plies for the District, reported that he
had found a lax state OF affairs. The
House passed the resolution without q
ron call