The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-06
TAKES SWORN OFF
TO Be KEPT SECRET
Commissioners Decide TO Give
Out No Names Of Citizens
Protesting.
PUBLICITY CALLED BAD

The seven COMMISSIONER OF IaSes
and Assessments decided yesterday
afternoon by unanimous vote that no
information shall be given out concern
ing the examinations Ct taxpayers who
feel aggricved by the tentative assessed
valuations levied against their personal
property and seek TO have the valuations
corrected. H~enceforth. therefore, zone
Of the Commissioners or their assistants
will make pubic the total reductions
allowed during IA days work. nor will
they In any circumstance make known
the name Of any aggrieved Individual
who appears to swear of his assessment
or applies for a reduction.
The board takes this ground on the
theory that at times It may be EN-
barrassing for an individual to have
his personal business affairs heialded
broadcast and points to the treatment
Of income tax returns, which are held
absolutely confidential by the Govern
ment officers, as a mode OF procedure.
When the work OF correcting and re-
vising the assessment Is completed on
February l the board will max, public
the result. but until then information
concerning the appearances OF aggrieved
taxpayers and the conclusions Cf the
beard vii! be kept secret. So far as the
commissioners are concerned. ,
The board has been much in TIRE public
eye since 1t jumped the tentative per-
sonal property assessments fer 1916
TO $3.1O+.3O5. 965 from the actual assess
ment Of $sS7,679.OO0 for 1915. but none
OF the Commissioners would admit tina;
the order of censorship In these times of
tax warfare Influenced their, in their
action.
Mitchell for Publicity.
Asked what he thought OF the order.
Mayor Mitchell said: 81 suppose the
Tax Department got tired OF seeing its
days business spread out In the news
papers. 1t is their business-very much
their business. Personally | have no
objection to any publication
The Mayor said he did not know the
board intended to take such action.
w thought 1t bad taste to give on
the names of people who come before u.s.
said Lawson Purdy. president OF the
board. "A lot OF them don like 20
have their private business made pub
lie. Neither will the total reductions
for the day he made public. The as
s~essgnents are not final until the BOOKS
are closed. When We complete the work
in February We will then give out tn,
results.
Il have always felt that 1t wasn't
light 10 give out this information. bu,
] never before got a board to agree
with me until this year"
one reason when possibly influenced
the commissioners in refusing to make
public the amount OF days reduction
In tentative assessments may he found
in the following statement that wa.
issued 10y the board as a whole:
'~rh. punlished fivurea pnrporfinr n
show that only a very small percentage
OF the tentative assessment has beer
held are misleading and throw no trust.
worthy light on the final result. tThi.
Is an allusion TO the first days swear
ing out which caused n tentative assess.
ment of $4,000. 700 to dwindle to se.7oo.
M Guesswork Allowed.
The depar' nrent is taking nothing fo'
granted. but is exercising every precau'
,iun to make certain. first, that no one
Is ovcrasscsscd second, that the cit.
IS not defrauded. and. finally. what /,
most important OF all. to see that NJ
uncnllectihlc taxes are put upon thu
rolls. There will lc no Imitation an,
no padding Of tax rolls II the Ta>
Board can help II.
IAN persons entitled 20 reduction o
an assessment should apply az soon as
possible. Late Corners may be KEEP
waiting and waste time. besides limos
ing an undue BURDEN on the depart
ment.'
There was no unusual rush to "swea'
on yesterday, although the numheI
who sought corrections Of their assess
ments between 10 a, NJ. and . i. VI
slightly exceeded the number Of callers
on Monday. Then there were sixty-fv'
aggrieyed ones.