The Washington herald., 1912-08-12
.BU|LOING TAXES
TO Be INCREASED
Over 50, 800, 900 to Be Added to
Rolls, According to Assessor
Richards.
NORTHWEST SECTION BEARS
81 PER CENT OF LEvIES
Additions Also to Be Made to Per.
< sonal Assessment Rolls-Sta-
tistics Are Given.

Over 8, 10000 in taxes on buildings will
be added to the assessment rolls OF the
District, II is estimated by Tax Assessor
W. P. Richards.
How much will be added to the per-
sonai assessment rolls Mr.. Richards
could not calculate, because of the diner
ent tax rates applicable to the various
kinds Of personal property.
He stated, however. that the increase
in revenue from realty taxes, as based
on the assessments for this year. would
be about $4,000 while the Increase in
revenue from the personal property taxes
would be about $4,000. making the total
revenues about 5000 900 from realty, and
about 81, 1000 from personal property.
Different from Other Cities.
The statistics of increased assessments
on property in the District are different
from similar statistics for other munich
palities, the District having triennial as
sessments of real property. and most
municipalities having annual assessments.
Last year triennial assessment was made,
and approximately $37. 900 was added
10 the rolls.
Another notable feature of assessments
here is the large amount of property
owned by the Federal government and
not liable to assessment. 1t Is estimated
that the government owns real property
in the District valued at 500, 900, 600. This
does not include the streets, which are
owned by the Federal government. The
District governments realty holdings are
valued at about $l5.O00oo.
The basis OF assessment for private
property in the District is 500, 900
In connection with these statistics Mr..
Richards made some interesting state
ments about assessments, which have
been a principal source Of discussion be-
fore Congressional committees at this
session Of Congress.
Northwe Bears Brunt.
A chart he has had prepared shows
that 50 per cent of the total assessments
of property in the District is borne by
property in the section lying between the
Mall, North Capitol Street, Florida Ave
nue. and Rock Creek.
Property lying between Florida Avenue.
North Capitol Street. Geological and
Rock Creek Parks and the District line
bears IA per cent.
The section between East Capitol and
North Capitol Streets. Florida Avenue
and Anacostia River bears S.3 per cent
The section west Of Rock Creek and
geological and Rock Creek Parks and
Southwest Washington. between south
Capitol Street, the Mall and the river.
bears a. per cent of the toIal assess
ment-
The section east OF North Capitol Street
and north OF Florida Avenue. of which
BrookIand may be considered center OF
bears 3.3 per cent.
South Warrington Taxes Small.
The section between East Capitol and
South Capitol Streets and Anacostia
River bears % per cent.
The section south and east of Ana
costa River bears Is per cent.
Statistics, as shown on the chart. in
dicate that more than half the Districts
total assessment is borne by the section
in which are located the big hotels, apart
ment houses. Office buildings. stores,
banks and other places of business: and
that the next largest is borne by the
territory of which Brightwood may be
considered as a center.
1T is impossible that valuations as
made by the Assessors Office should
agree exactly with the actual consider
ations in transfers of properties" Mr..
Richards stated yesterday. "A piece of
property may he sold at a bargain
bringing a price far below its actual
value. Another piece may change hands
at what is a good trade for the seller
instead Of the buyer. and the consider
alton is then far above its actual value.
I'm these tables" which Mr.. Richards
showed II have compiled our valuations
of numerous properties and the actual
considerations for which the properties
have been sold recently. In many cases
there is a wide discrepancy between our
valuations and the considerations, be-
cause, as l have said, prices frequently
do not show accurately the values of the
property. But in most cases there is very
little discrepancy. and the average dis
crepancy between our valuations and the
actual considerations is remarkably
small"
Assessments Show increase.
In speaking of the policy of his office,
Mr. Richards stated that he and his as
sociates had endeavored to bring assess
ments steadily upward toward present
valuations He exhibited some remark
able statistics in connection with this
feature of the Assessors work.
/ These statistics were the assessments
of property in Connecticut Avenue from
the Connecticut Avenue bridge to Chevy
Chase Circle, in 1885 and in 1872. In 1896
the property was assessed at from s17C
to $500 an acre; in 1872, at from 81. 900 to
$4,000 an acre. Some examples of the
increased assessments were from 500 to
Sl5. 900; from $500 to s15,246; from $50 to
S. 600; from $1T0 to 81, 900.