The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23

ptbtti hbic W hittt MS ODllkdtlOUS anu
to help property owners who owe him
for improvements made In their sec
lions a scheme IL being worked out by
Comptroller Prendergast and Shepard
Morgan, secretary of the finance board,
whereby owners will be informed
promptly OF their debts TO the city.
Heretofore an owner never heard OF
special assessments levied against his
property until 1t had been sold for taxes.
Taxes just piled up from year to year
with per cent. added for failure to
pay within the prescribed time.
An owner paid his land and water
taxes promptly and thought that was
all Father Knickerbocker had against
him. A sewer had been installed sew
eral blocks away which helped the value
OF his property. But he knew nothing
of this and because of the lax
method of city departments In past
years no effort was made to inform him
of his debt. His property was sold
without his knowledge and he had to
pay a big price TO the man who had
bought the lien from the city.
Comptroller Prendergsst and Secre-
tary Morgan plan to stop this practice
and at the same time help property
owners and the finances Of the mu-
nicipal government
To do this the name Of every owner
OF real estate in The Bronx, Brooklyn.
Queens and Richmond is being collected
that he might be Informed when any
debt OF assessment has been levied
against his land. To get the names
of realty owners has been big task.
II has been on since May and up to
date nearly $4,000 have been secured.
II will be several months before the
Comptroller will have on index every
land owner in the four outlying Dor
oughs. The Bronx. Brooklyn, Queens and
Richmond. The names of $1,000
Brooklyn owners are on file and about
40 900 in each Of the other boroughs.
Every person who paid taxes in these
boroughs last May has received or will
receive u small blank on which Is to be
written the block and lot number OF the
property on which the taxes were paid
also the name of the owner and his
address. This information Ia being put
on cards and arranged in sections.
When an improvement has been made
owners ~ the sections assessed will be
informed that they owe the city 20
much for such and such.
Every assessment Is being dug w 10
that when you get bill from the
Comptroller you may be surprised at
the leniency OF Father Knickerbocker
to wait so long for his money, as the
search Ia going back for many years
once over II will be over forever. as the
method OF the future will be to keep
owners informed right UP to the minute
of their debts just as the gas and the
electric light companies do. This "a
due owners. In the opinion OF the Comp.
troller and Secretary Morgan. It is ex-
pected from private corporations. why
not from the city?
Comptroller Prendergast Is sending
out the following letter to those who
have not paid assessments levied against
their realty:
IT am sending you statement OF
your account with the city OF New
York. Probably you have not received
notice from any source that this charge
is running. The Department of FL
nance has undertaken recently the new
work OF notifying all property owners
OF special assessments and certain other
obligations to the city.
ne purpose Denlnu TINS pan IL TWO
fold. 1t has been found that many
owners OF property do not know when
their real estate has been assessed fol
Improvements. The result is that they
are charged with interest at per cent
for a considerable length OF time when
Il would have been TO their advantage
and when they would have been able
I 10 pay Immediately. One OF the reason,
why this statement Is sent IL to save
you this unnecessary excess charge.
THE other reason Is that unpaid as
sessments tend to prohibit further
municipal improvements. The borrow.
| ing power OF the city is very limited. az
you know, because OF the large subway
and dock improvements now under way
OUTLAWS for assessment work are
charges against the city's borrowing
power in Just the same way as subway
construction. New sewers and new
streets cannot be laid. despite impera.
tive need, except as the property
owners reduce such Of che city's deb,
as was incurred for local improve
ments."