Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-21
AS ENTERING WEDGE
Believed New Tax Plan I'M
periIs Half and Half System.
VIEWS OF LOCAL OFFICIALS
Criticism of Report Made to Con-
gress by Committee.
ASSESSOR DENIES CHARGES
Says Real Estate in District Is
Properly Assessed-Some Recon-
mendations Endorsed
VIEWS OF LOCAL OFFICIALS
R DENIES CHARGES

Ihat abolition of the haIf-and- ha g.
principle by which appropriations are
| made for the District of Columbia by
Congress is contemplated in reforms
urged by the subcommittee of the
House District committee investigat
ing local assessment and taxation
methods is the consensus of opinion Of
prominent officials of the District gov
| eminent concerning the committees re-
| port which was submitted to Congress
yesterday.
| While refusing to he quoted several Of
the officials did not hesitate to express
the view that the committees -ecommen-
dation that assessments be based upon
the full value of property instea d of upon
two-thirds value is intended as enter
ing wedge to increase taxation in the Dis
trict and n-ing about an abolition of the
dual arrangement i. "cSue since 1878 by
which the federal and District govern
| ments contribute equally to the support
of the capital of the nation.
commissioner Rudolph. who has juris-
diction OF the assessors office is absent
put commissioner Johnston showed keen
interest III the charges preferred by the
congressional body and expressed his in
dlv1dual belief that they are not s,1pport-
cd Dy Facts on file in the assessors office
both the Commissioner and Assessor
hichards Endorsed many of the commit
- neutrality-suspicious. Among these are
the following: That assessments shall
pe annual instead of triennal; that the
true consideration shall be recorded in
. aeeds conveying property: that twelve
lleid assessors shall be substituted for the
three assistant assessors now on fold
work. and that board of appeals shall
De created. from which the field assess
ors shall be excluded.
Recommendations Not Approved
The recommendations that the power
10 remove the assessor or his assistants
shall be restored to the Commissioners
and that excise matters shall he di
vorced from the assessors office do
not meet with Commissioner Johnston's
approval Regarding the latter, it is
MS opinion that excise matters shall
remain under the jurisdiction of the
assessors office until a better plan for
handling them can be devised
Statement by Assessor.
District Assessor Richards and Com
missioner Johnston were in conference
Tor more than an hour this morning
considering the report. following which
statement submitted to the Commits
L
the charge that real estate in the Dis
tr1ct is irregularly assessed was given
out for publication
The principal criticisms made nv tho
inVestlgating committee which Commits
sioner Johnston and Assessor Richards
| take exception to are that real estate
| IN the District is irregularIy assessed
| that the total assessment of real pronerty
is S4l4OO,O0O below the true value of the
proPerty, the true value being STA, OOG O0o,
80
and that there is great discrimination
against the 10000 small homes of GOV
eminent clerks
The local authorities say they do not
know on what basis the committee has
arrived at its estimate that the true
value of property assessed is $744OO 900
instead of $33O.OOOOOO. The record OF
sales in the assessors Office, it is said
VIII show that the property is assessed
at what is believed to be its true value
Report Scrutinized.
The statement submitted by Assessor
Richards is as follows:
There appeared in print yesterday ex-
cerpts from the report of the assessment
OF real estate in the District of Columbia,
made by the subcommittee Of the House
District committee. 1t begins with the
statement that real estate is here assessed
I
gross discrimination between class and
class. between section and section be-
| tween land and improvements.
Il will state that the board of assistant
assessors has followed a system of their
own in the assessment of real estate in
which they have endeavored to apply
within the limited time the requirements
of the law. They do not believe that the
facts show that discrimination, they dis
criminate in the matter indicated in the
Thk.N- Hxafie
has bee misled by certain testimony
taken on the subject of taxation in the
District. The board uses maps in making
and comparing their assessments, and
they use rules as far as they can be APP
| piled in the assessment of real estate.
An Amazing Statement.
| This report contains the amazing
| statement land it is not based on facts
with which / am acquainted) that real
property is assessed Si14.OOO,OOO below
| its true value. 1t goes on to say that
| considering ground values by them
selves, those areas occupied by small
| homes are assessed at 90 per cent of the
true value, those by middle class houses
| at 20 per cent: those by fine residences
| at Sd per cent; the business area at 80
per cent and the large suburban areas at
~ per cent.
| The committee certainly has been mis-
| led as TO facts concerning ground assess
ments. Examining one part of the state
ment. We can determine what the whole
| is worth.
| The business area is said to be as
sessed 80 per cent. and taking the class
OF business property between 9th and 18th
streets Pennsylvania avenue and II street
northwest we have some of the follow
ing facts:
| Nearly 20 per cent of the square be-
tween III and L streets, 18th and 18th
streets has changed hands during the
last five years. The value paid for sew
eral pieces OF property was $S10,OOO. and
| the basis of our assessment is about
$4,000. or more than the amount of
| the sale,
| The east part of the square bounded
| by r and G.. 14th and 10th streets has
| changed hands during the last three years
! and the parcels sold have aggregated
| S150OOo, while the basis OF assessment is
SSD,OD. These two squares just men
| toned in the heart of the high-class
| property
Another Square Cited.
Again. taking another square in the
same section bounded by Pennsylvania
avenue. 10th and 11th and + streets,
six pieces of property located in the
various streets named have changed
hands since October. 1908, two of the
sales occurring during the present
year. The sales have aggregated S24I,-
90 and the basis of the assessment is
$4,000.
,In hr,. Iad hx( TT