The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

court proceedings at considerable eX-
pense to the entire community. adopted
the almost unheard OF plan last week
OF giving widespread publicity to the
facts in the various cases in the hope
that public sentiment will cause the
stoppage OF such action which cam
not be controlled by law.
As result Of the suits instituted
against the city more than l25 resi-
dents succeeded in gaining reductions
in their taxation through threats OF
carrying along their cases based on
the precedents established in the de-
cisions rendered in four cases which
the Tax Department points out as
typical OF the actions which by reason
OF the lower assessments awarded,
costs paid to plaintiffs and cost of de-
fence added a pretty sum TO the bill
which those taxpayers must meet who
are satisfied with the assessments as
levied by the Tax Department or who
have not the means to start suits.
In all OF the suits brought against
the city the contention has been that
the Tax Department has assessed the
individual properties for from 1877 TO
145 per cent. OF their value. while the
rest of New Rochelle was assessed for
only rs per cent OF its value. The
Tax Department declares that New
Rochelle throughout is assessed at 100
per cent. of its value and the depart
ment's contention is borne out TO
certain extent by the State Tax Com
mission. which says that the assess
mepts average between 30 and 81 per
cent. OF actual value.
The suits decided have been brought
by the Dickerman estate, the Ward
estate, the Isenn estate and Georgine
lselin against the 1916 roll, and when
their contention was sustained and
their rates reduced to n basis of SO per
cent. OF the value all other cases in
stituted on the grounds OF overValu-
alton were settled by the city on tho
So per cent basis to save the eNpcus"
OF court proceedings. Another suit,
that of the Helvetia Realty Company,
Of which Adrian Iselin. Jr., is presi-
dent, has been instituted against tho
1916 and 1917 rolls. The case of this
company on the 1916 roll has not lc,n
called for trial, but that on tho 1871
roll is now in progress before ref
erce The Helvetia in its case against
the 1917 roll claimed that its two prop
critics are assessed at l65 per cent.
of their value, while New Rochelle
generally is assessed at 10 per cent.
OF it's fun value. The petitioner values
the two parcels at $252,440, claims
that they are overassessed 70 the
extent of s9S,940. and demands that
the assessments be reduced TO $l2S,-
900.
To combat az much as possible what
seems to George w. Sutton, Commits
sioner OF Assessment and Taxation. TO
be an ever growing menace to the
city, the Commissioner has published
a pamphlet in which he reviews the
| facts in the four cases decided by court
and upon which the other reductions
have been obtained As an eNplana-
ton for the publication Mr.. Sutton
| says:
J THE Department OF Assessment and
| Taxation deems it fitting in this time
| OF stress to bring more intimately 10
the attention of some 5000 other tax
payers for their serious consideration
| a condensed analysis and summary OF
]
tlorari to review assessments, which
resulted in court decisions, whereby
four taxpayers are granted remission
in their taxes for the year 1917 to the
extent Of s6,470.79, at a cost in In
creased taxes to some 5000 other tax
payers OF $4,000. for which outlay
they have no return.
And the end is not yet. for the
trial of the Helvetia Realty Company
is still in progress"
He points out that the referees APP
pointed by Judge Joseph Morschausel
of Poughkeepsie were residents OF that
city. Raymond e. Aldrich. District
Attorney OF Duchess County, and
Daniel ]. Gleason, Surrogate of Dutch
ess county.
The case of the Dickerman estate
which was tried in July, 1917 estab'
lshed a precedent for the three Other
suits. The petitioners in this cast