Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-24

IRON INV NAN
.~.,,on methods. Chairman Carney IN his
Fs,r.nv N not ali, OF the suggestions. and
...,,nendatIons that I shall make for
r..,,s. iceIslative aid. you have heard be-
~ Even though this be true. there
s..,us 20 be no good reason why We should
- actively re-enlist IN support OF them,
y fnat Philadelphia may make herself
,..rd and felt aFain in Harrisburg next
.,sr. demanding just full and fair leEis-
sro-r,ne 20 tho front and demanding
<or.lderatien, perhaps because u Affects
~-sf estate or due to the venerableness of
y. claim. is the agitation for a new sys-
,<m Of real estate assessment think
~ hut proper, upon the threshold OF my
s,.currlon Of this important subject 10
sss,e that whatever I may have 70 say is
not offered AZ an anront 20 the present
raxes. what I have TO say i would say
"a rfless OF who composed the board.
ss, n because I think u is right
.-rhe objection Is 10 the system. I recog-
<sxe ns neither Democratic nor Progressive
. system which removes ana sets up, as
ssr almost as conceivable from the public
ssu a department OF government that next
y, l,fe itself deals with a citizens dearest
,,ssession-his home. A system which.
ss,sr receiving the funds necessary for its
~xistence. is neither subject nor answerable
representatives in the executive and iegis-
,s,,ve branches Of the municipal govern
nent ..s-.,....-
a., the present system any one of the known
rsw and modern forms for assessing real
ss,ate nor entering into controversy with
tbe present Board as to their relative mer-
Ne NV sole purpose at this time Is TO
s,ate facts. from which you may draw your
orn conclusions as to the necessity for
ebanre II r. contended by sorne that a
change will add no new revenue &c the city.
k.cause. they say. II you raise the assess
nent in one direction you must lower Il In
another and the sum total will therefore
be about the same as now.
.I am not ready to Say amen 10 that
eontention, for verify believe that read
Sustnent OF assessments upon proper basis
wtu.add much 20 the city's present revenue.
But after all. that Is a secondary consid-
eration. What we are striving for pri-
marlly Is equalization OF taxation, so to
rtate the foregoing contention Is but to ad-
vance the most cogent reason for change.
II the burden OF taxation falls equally upon
every one, who can Justly complain?
sBut no man should be compelled 20
h.ar any part OF his neighbor's municipal
allegations. And this he is obliged to do
when his property is overassessed while
that OF his neighbor is underassessed. II
all real estate is properly. equitably and
Justly assessed, the tax rate. whatever II
may be, descends equally upon all, the
bls as we'll as the little fellow. both stand
equally upon the same common ground, and
nelther can complain.
But unfortunately, that Ia not the rule
today, for Il Is common knowledge that
many, many two and three-story houses In
oil parts OF our city are assessed up TO their
full value and In many instances over.
while real estate in the central and outlying
Sr4r to Ia
neither fair nor legal, and i don't blame
the fellow who is hurt for 'kicking.'
RECENT RECORDS
Let me note a few instances for your
consideration. taken at random In different
sections OF our city, OF record sales made, l
am informed, within the last few months.
'7a0 North Broad street, assessed at
t10b00, sold for $4,000.
"722 North Broad street, assessed at
$4,000. sold for $4,000.
building. southwest corner Broad and
Melon streets, so by 81 feet, assessed at
$50 1000. sold about four months ago for
$4,000 resold within few weeks 20 pres
ent owner for $4,000.
Premises southeast corner Broad and
Poplar streets. lot "a by so feet, assessed
at $12 600, sold recently for S1S.500. as in
dicated by the amount OF revenue stamps
on the deed
Factory and sheds, 222f.23-25 North
American street, ASSESSED at $4,000 recently
sold at price not disclosed, but subject 10
q mortgage OF s1l.500.
Factory. Richmond and>Tioga streets,
sold for $4,000, assessed at $4,000.
Premises 900 TO ESQ North Broad street.
assessed at $4,000. sold recently for price
reported to be about $4,000; building was
conveyed subject to mortgages OF about
tl45.000
Factory northeast corner Twenty-third
and Turner streets. sold, as indicated by
stamps on deed. for $4,000. assessed at
te4 500.
PILOT OF ground southeast corner Ridge
avenue and Kingsley street assessed at
$1,000, sold as indicated by revenue stamps
on deed, at $4,000.
The old Y. NJ. C. A. building. at south
east corner Fifteenth and Chestnut streets.
Is assessed at $i,OOO.O00: owner. 1 am re-
nably informed. VIII not take less than
100000.
'rhe colonnade Hotel property, southwest
corner Fifteenth and Chestnut streets, is
assessed at 5000. 600, and II is common
knowledge among real estate brokers, am
informed. that the owner wants s1.500.00
for H.
Lot northwest corner Broad and Cherry
streets. ls7 BY $50 feet. sold several months
ago for 100000; assessed at s66b.0oo.
uNDERvALUED FOR TAXATION
"on unimproved ground held for high
prices. many are the undervaluations
hundreds Of acres in Germantown ownod
ny one large estate. assessed at acreage OF
nom $4,000 to $4,000 an acre. residence sites
soid from ground bring from $4,000 TO
sie.oO0 an acre and over.
The northeast corner Broad and Rus
como streets assessed at $1,000. has been
so,d since the passage Of the loan bills for
Ground on Broad street. below the
oluener Home. assessed at $50 900, the
ewher has declined an offer OF $4,000
For the southeast corner OF Fifth street
nc Boulevard, assessed at $4,000, a bona
noe orer OF 100000 has been made.
FOR the southeast corner Of Boulevard
sna street. thirteen acres, assessed at
ttf,oeO. the owner has declined an oner