New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-20
PURDY SHIELDS
TAX MYSTERIES
Lots Mills Committee
Guess How Board
Traced DelinquentS.
"EXEMPT ZONE" NO
LONGER A SECRET
If You Live East of Second Ave.
nue. Probably You'll Escape
Personal Property Levy.

The Mills legislative committee
+ learned yesterday that when secret
is intrusted 20 Lawson Purdy, president
Of the Board Of Tax Commissioners. it
is safe. Every one who attended the
committees hearing In the Woolworth
Building yesterday was anxious to
/ learn just how tho tax board obtained
the names on which II levied this years
s3,7OO 100000 personal property tax,
but all were disappointed, for Mr..
Purdy would not tell.
This information" he conhded TO
the committee. came TO tho Board OF
Estimate from a private but highly re-
liable source. and II WAS given on con
dition that this source would not be
divulged. Otherwise IL would not have
been furnished As matter OF fact,
the information came late too late for
US 20 make the best use Of It,"
The secret OF tho exempt zone" was
divulgcd by NJ. Purdy at yesterday 5
hearing.
Rely on Telephone Book.
"As 70 taxable persons" no testi-
fed, "we obtain Information in various
ways. We take the telephone book and
the city directory and have men cut
/ them up into districts and alphabetical
divisions. and then begin our assess
ment of districts. II you happen to
live east OF Second Avenue you will
most likely escape tho personal prop
erty tax.
This il secret OF my department,
I but | will tell you about H. We have
D - Of
Second Avenue, and the people there
are not likely to be assessed. con
Tess we are not doing our duty IN try
/ ing TO collect taxes there
lie then explained that the general
scheme was TO get names Of persons
who might be assessed by the search
ing Of titles "a far north as Albany.
I'VE also assess eXempts for a larger
amount than an estate. so that they
will come and swear what its intrinsic
value is
The personal property tax never can
he fair. he admitted. "The whole
scheme is a failure and brings real
suffering in some cases. Executors and
iegatees OF an estate are both taxed.
This may look absurd. and 1t is"
Mr. Purdy favored as most Of the
witnesses before him have done. an in
come tax. He suggested that it be ap-
piled TO salaries Of more than $4,000.
with persons earning 81, 500 making a
declaration OF their incomes.
Forty Per Cent Collected.
He was asked by Senator Mills ~ Il
were not true that the amount Of un
collectible taxes amounted 20 $50 ,000,
600, and replied that he did not think
those figures should have been given
out. as there was no reason for the city
to have its bad debts published. He
intimated that the amount was more
than the sum the Senator had named.
adding that since 1908 only 40 per cent
Of the assessments had been collected.
A. Z. Halcomb. an expert Of the
American Telegraph and Telephone
Company. declared tina. New York's
system OF taxation was wholly unfair,
because the assessors were impeded by
many obstacles.
Professor Joseph Johnson. o. New
York University. will DO witness to
day. and az noon any one who desires
may state his opinions TO the commit
tee. Tomorrow the body will move
upstate for additional hearings.