The New York herald., 1921-05-31
MAY CUT NUMBER
OF TAX APPRAISERS
New Commission Expected to
Make Sweeping Changes in
Present System.

The Inheritance Tax Bureau is to oe
transferred June 80 from the office Of
the State Comptroller to the recently
created Tax Department, and the noliti-
cal leaders throughout the State are
worrying because there is every indica-
ton that under the new arrangement
there will be fewer jobs to hand around.
This is particularly true SO far as the
lob Of tax appraiser, now paying $4,000
year, is concerned.
At present each county has its own
transfer tax appraisers, the number and
salaries being fixed by law But under
the new statute the number and the sa-
airy are to be fixed by a commission
composed of the Governor. the chairman
of the Senate Finance Committee and
the chairman of the Assembly ways aad
Means Committee. Each political boss
in each county is anxious to get as many
appraisers for his county as possible. not
necessarily because his county needs
them, but because the boys need the
Jobs The commission, however, has an
nounced that ii intends to cut down the
number wherever possible and will not
increase salaries.
Five for New York County.
It appears that the commission intends
to hit New York county harder than any
other This county now has eight ap-
prasers, but under the reorganization
| 1t will get but five. A loud and whole
hearted protest has been made against
| this arrangement but indications are
! that it will 90 through, although the
| commission may placate the bosses by
increasing salaries from $4,000 to $500,
| which will not result in such a great
saving to the taxpayers. The political
bosses have furnished the Governor with
statistics showing that approximate
s277 has been appraised for the State for
every dollar spent in the appraisers
salaries This is the principal argu-
ment for an increase in salaries.
On the other hand three transfer tax
appraisers in The Bronx in the same
fiscal year handled estates valued at only
$3.50, 900. Their salaries were $4,000
each, which would mean an appraisal Of
about $l.o6 instead of S277 for every
dollar paid in salaries.
New York county appraisers now In
office are Albert j. Berwin, leader of the
Seventh district. Charles b. Largy,
leader of the Eighteenth Anthony P.
Ludden, leader OF .he no.-th end Of the
Fifth Clarence Schmelzel, former leader
of the Tenth; Harry Kopp. George b.
Compton and Charles Sweeney. Tho
eighth place, held by John J. Lyons. the
present Secretary of state. has never
been filed. Neither Compton nor Kopp
Is candidate for reappointment
Sweeney who is said to be a Democrat,
was a personal selection OF former Cor
troller Travis and may not be reap
pointed. If not It will leave one oren
place for the organization.
Only One for the Bronx.
The three appraisers in The Bronx
arc Peter Wynne, Ernest w. Bradbury
and Alfred w Slmonds. all district
leaders and all candidates for reappoint-
ment But It is learned the State
Commission has decided this country
can worry along with one appraiser.
Mr.. Wynne is likely to be retained.
Under the present law Kings county
has five appraisers, but probably 1t will
get no more than three under the new
arrangement Four of the places are
filed at present by -. Fl. Ralston, lead
er OF the First District: Warren G.
Price. leader OF the Eighteenth District !;
Jesse p. Moore, leader of the Thirteenth
District. and Charles 5. warbasse. leader
Of the Ninth District. Friends Of the
Governor have promised to make room
in some State department for one of the
four who will have to be dropped.
queens mas one transfer lax apprdlS-
er. Warren 3. Ashrnead, who gets $4,000
a year, There lis one In Richmond and
one in Westchester
For the fiscal year ending June 30.
1920. estates valued at s1,244.451 were
settled in Kings county Outside New
York and Kings, the largest amounts
were handled as follows: Suffolk coun-
ty, S1.7S1,24s; Nassau. sf.5S2.451 /:
Orange. s1.14S.259 and Westchester.
sa77.96a. Under the present law none
Of these counties has more than one ap-
praiser except Orange, which has two
at $4,000 each. The work I'm New York
county has been growing steadily for
many years.
Search is now being made for quar-