The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-08-24
Declares Boost In Tax
Valuation Is I'm
just
PLEADS BEFORE
STATE BOARD
Asserts Proposed In
crease Means Blow
To Entire State

clariug that the s1.lS6, 100000 vaIua-
ton placed upon real property In
Wayne county bv the state tax com
mission was ba5ed largely upon
fictitious values. and II enforced
might prove death blow TO the
prosperity Of Detroit and Michigan.
John G Nagel, Detroit tax expert,
argued before the board Of cqualiza-
ton late Wednesday afternoon. for
more equitable re-appraisal
Mr. NHgel argued that while prop
erty IN the remainder Of the state
had been assessed az less thar It's
normal value. that Ia Wayne county
had been figured in AZ the inflated
value created by the temporary lack
OF houses 90 shelter the army Of
new workers who have recently
come 20 Detroit
Every county which has appeared
before this board since the opening
OF this session. he said, has plead.
"a non productiveress a. an excuse
for lowering the valuation II that
syntem OF yalua ion IS any good for
the farmer II il gtcd for the mer-
chant. for the manufacturer, for the
owner of business lropertr and for
the small hoG.c owner in the city Of
Det~3i;"
Sume Of tho most telling Of Mr.
Ntgerr remarks follow
In the past two years tho city -
ne aud fkt ahfTtt.TW q d
have gone through period ~ IN
pRralleird prosperity. which has now
reached Sc climax IN alu"s. We
have secu land values lcallng up
ward 50 fast that men have became
dizzy vatchiuE So antics FOR an cN-
ample on pico" ~ acr"Rg" solo -
? orloyk ga ttc morning for $4,000.
sold again iu the afternoon Tor $40
900, tho newt morning the plat Or
th'5 property was submitted 10 the
abstract department and the pW Nora
were adVcrttsirc tho lots for sale ~
So per foot front they 70 put in all
improvements, and az THIS price tho
Inrc~l would sell - $4,000 fu this
transaction the total cash paid was
only s. o0o. and the lots arc selling
with a small payment down. the bal.
arte 20 Doe apreud over p long period
OF tlm.. with the chances very fHN-
orabl~ that in another year or TIVE
tho orig nal owner VIII hc pl0ug tng
Up tn sidewalks 20 plant 'orn IN
the Eround that has returned 10 him
because of tho failure 60 keep up
tnr payments
Tish 10 calI the attention or This
hoatd To inc fact that about q year
aso Mr. Ford made statement thHt
he Intended IN tho near future &C.
erect large tractor plant n ~"
western part ~ Detroit and Dear
born and Spripgw,'ls townships iu-
taediatrly. asking prices ia that tor.
ritoTy began TO soar EDWARDS. land
'reLlcd tts value overnight have
case iu nd in this particular lo,a-
ton whore 4 person mad owned a
piece 81 land Tor 20 years and Was
snnhig 70 a''g',s o ~ NJ "n arrs '' bn,
short time after the Ford statement
n wus rspo' ted this same piece -
isnd rrla .gr ta,o,s Esr a., a. ,' and ~ ~
land wa under gouf seet % water
this spring ana got his may DO
taken by thc tax comm isSion ~ p
r"svNN,' hood when some ~ Tho
imp .u1nts, ruinure % which nave
-ErEg rIyE rrft 70 soar ~ NHlh" nave
been. or.abHshso. " viii he time
.hsu saws been GNrd. and for Tho
SthtC rorrU 90 ani.rlpst IN m is un
.t.. q NCvu~ coGntl ~ cannot be
dtric' thot both Detroit and tn.
,CuntN Out ids ate enjoying Unusual
r.. -isr'ty. .ud n is reasonable %
%, --c' tnst his VIII be -"h'r'"d in
- nsI-c aNcd ny the state board
> tt@ ~QHalla"r valuation. nut the
ronrd slould take into ac,oaut two
NOR orfsut facts nns 81 that large
I~r' Il tha stat" wss reN alued a. a
lin, Of comparable depression,
Ehsr vaiurs were low. while bstroii
Ia being Nrpra!se' A. the crest - thc
great donl ~ the apparent ySluea are
fJtitioUs speculative and VIII ais
.pp.ar suddenly II luck changes.
Tho MAXIMUM wage. scale in I'll.
10 per cont OF tho people IN Detroi
ere working Tor less than this
home owner living or 20 foot lot
ass--s~d - So per front footT The
value - tho lot ~ $1,000. build ms
on this io' .outorm ~ with the iosa-
would o.. .niy nm ordinary framc
bouHc Today based upon tho In
hrtef 'F'Ie - all aterial and the
htFh rrje" tor labor. this would mHks
without eguutink the labor 81 decor.
stlns Es ground with shrubbcry
nowsrr aud @eddirs placing, ~ d6n
what b. the T-sut2 SIX per cent on
the Investment bnscd upon the As.
ssssed Yplur. 800 depreciation. and
water rates 20. Ere insurance 81
mnkiog q grand total OF ttTo SO cost
per yrur Dor r!ace 10 sleep In, OF
In other words 80 per cent Of the in
come ~ man earning tho maximum
wage - 81 zoo pcr year Govern
% nor, 81 ' me Gy and Of N S Y6fk snow
That the amount paid by the nverng'
vorkcr throughout the natiOr
amounts 10 5 per cent ~ his income
Does this not alone show that ouI
vniuea nrs entirely out OF proportion
with TIE rest OF the nation? if IA,
owner or th.a $4,000 home was 2,
rent II at s per cent Of the max imuu
wnEc 90 B"troit which Ia highoi
than any other city In the country
he would receive for his Investment
~ Der cent. 10 Won believe that
thfs condition - conducive 20 tho w
buIIdtuE ~ Detroit? Tho same con.
clifton mat ( have illustrated on th'
r~sideu~c property mol good ON th'
....st..t,ar InaGprrn