The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
CITY'S REALTY WORTH
SS,O49,S59,912'
Equal TO Combined Assessed
Valuations Of IS Western :
States.
NEW DEPARTMENT METHOD
Tax Commissioner Purdy Says
Complaining Taxpayers VIII
Be Welcomed.

Lawson Purdv. president Of the be-
partment OF Taxes and Assessments. has
made a report 10 Mayor Mitchell showing
how the methods NJ his department have
been revolut'ouzed IN the interests OF the
taxpayer. lie points out that the tax
payer seeking information or desiring 10
make n complaint is received courtouusly
ard the standards and the methods by
which the tax appraisers work are shown
to him
The report shows Chat there are 646 oe4
real estate parcels IN the city and that
each deputy IN the depar tmeut assesses
about 5000 parcels a. an approximate
cost Of 81 a parcel. The total assessed
real estate valuation IN New York, ex-
elusive OF exempt property, Is Ss.0i9,S 5e.-
9i2. This amount Ia equal to the com
biued assessed valuation OF property In
North Dakota. South Dakota. Nebraska,
Kansas. oklahoma. Texas, Montana. Wyo-
ming Colorado New Mexico. Arizona.
Utah, Idaho. Washington, oregon and Ne
vada
TAX Department methods" SAYS Mr..
Purdy, -have received shaking up By
the new board TIE complaining Taxpayer
hereafter IL to be treated as 4; his visit,
or the presentation OF h's grievance, con
fsrred > favor upon the department. The
Commi Ssiouers have suggested 10 the em-
ployees that a elite. shEl receive TIC
same degree Of attention that would he
given 70 possible customer Nv an EN-
Client salesman
The Mayors new taxation committee
o. ", rut$.NNs has started IT. work one
OF Its Experts. Robert NJ Haig Is 30 Visit
western Canada, and other members OF
the committee VIII during the summer
visit; Germany. Denmark and Great Brit
ain - invrstITat, new taxation methods
! In those counties
In iHl4 Iu the terI!,ui. JOVHdr,
/ ,oushl, by B,,rrEer street uh 'pe south
. FJtt!cta street On the north, sixth an
Sc\suth avenues On the west and Ihirt
and Fourth avenues on the east there
/ were aggregate reductions In Assessed
valuations OF about Sl5.OO0.OUO. aud ot
| tho upper East side between PaIk ave
nue. and LenuS avenue ana llSth stree
and l4Gtu street the reduction reach",
S3.50O.yUV. or a total Of slN5ov0OO II
these 50 called older sections or the city
/ This decrease was OF set. with millions L
! spare. hy Increases around and north -
the Grand Central Station and on Wash
iugton Heights All thu Uoroughs shovel
net Increases IN real estate asstsse'
Valuations.
Tho number u parcels to bc as.esse
increases rapidly I'm the outlying bon
uushs by the division OF farms into build
!ut lots and the division Of large plot
into blocks Thus t-e number Of pal
sells In Queens has increased Ia seVe
years BY more than oue-thri ana I
Brooklyn by $4,000 parcels"
Mr.. Puldy says that An erroneou
notion atill persists that a taxpayer mus
employ a lawyer or real estate expert !
mediate between him and the Tax Depar
/ meut Nothing he Says, could b
further from the truth. Every taXpayt
can present MS own case, both brfut d, N
tentative assessment Is made and to IN
Tax Comm .ssiuners after October !
tuc tentative assessment Is uusstsfa,
tory to him"