Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-02

i the supreme test of the success OF
| the assessment. It must, therefore,
conform to community opinion OF
value
Stripped of its detail Of folders,
maps, scales, building slips and other
devices incident tp the practical
work, the Somers method accomplish.
es simply this: 1t records community
opinion of real estate values in the
best form for assessment purposes.
and. at the same time, In the best
form for the further capitalization OF
community opinion.
IL is comprehensive method, and
most generally knoWn in connection
with the assessment Of city property
where conditions are complex and
values high. but 1t nevertheless com
prehends all conditions In sparsely
settled localities. as, for instance, the
windward side Of this island, there
grows up and becomes associated
with each tract of land q well recogE
nised opinion Of its value, per acre.
That IS, those living near such lot
have q good idea Of Its acre value.
ia cities, however: community opin.
lon Of value does not exist in respect
to Bnecific tracts or lots, on account
OF rapid changes in value, specuIa+
lions and other matters peculiar to
the city. It is q fact, however, that
when conditions render community
opinion Of the value OF lots irnpos-
sible, there is community opinion OF
street values. The streets are CON
tinnally used for business and pleas.
ure, and their comparative value for
business and residence purposes
comes to be known by the citizens,
quite In the same way. as does the
value per acre of agricultural land, to
those who live in small villages.
Community opinion of street values
is reduced to tangible form by the
naming Of committee OF representa-
tive taxpayers, who record upon q
map prepared for the purpose the
value Of unit on each side Of each
block in the city. The unit most COM
monty used, and which will serve for
Illustration. is one foot wide by 100
feet deep, located In the center Of the
block, where corner Influence does
not affect its value.
|, Land at street corners is treated
separately, but unit value is placed
on each intersectihg street and these
values then blended, to secure the cor
ner value. En-. S--s-e-
In fixing the unit values the COM
mittee generally commences with the
NEST valuable section, and works out,
being aided, as the work progresses
from the most valuable section, with
q comparison Of the values already
fixed, and the work becomes easier.
In actual practice this part of the
work is said to be speedily and salts
factorily accomplished. lFayoritism
cannot exist, as the units apply to
blocks, not to lots. Occasionally, alb
normal conditions are encountered,
but these are easily taken care of by
the exercise of judgment. p
Copies of the map with unit values
thus fixed must be made records ae.
cessible to the taxpayers, so that the
values thus fixed may have the crit,
icism and correction of community
opinion. This map or series of maps
is placed and kept on public view for
q limited period so that taxpayers
may compare their assessments with
any, or all, other assessments. AT
the end of one month or more the
maps go before a board Of review
composed of the various members OF
each of the district committees and
final values are fixed. Errors In
Judgment in fixing unit values, IL any,
are thus sure to be detected and cor.
rected. Any correction must be made
in the unit values, as the work from
this point on is simply the mathemat
ical application, by means of scales
Of the Judgment expressed in the unit
values to the valuation Of specific
tracts or lots.
A re-adjustment or revaIuation oil
the unit values would have to be made
| every three or five years as condi
tons might seem to warrant.
The fixing of the unit values is the
real assessment Of the property. II
is made by representative Taxpayer