Evening star., 1926-01-24
Full Assessment Here.

Every man and woman owning
property III communities other than
In the District uf Columbia whether
u he IN the city or in the country.
knows fun we'll that the almost uni
Nersai rule is that the property is as
sessed far below its actual value.
That property in the District is
not undertaAed is shown by the fol-
lowing Illustration: II the actual or
true value Of Il piece of property in
Chicago is $4,000. and II is assessed
at % per cent of the true value. which
the census of 1920 shows to he The
case. the tax would be levied upon the
$500 of value. Naturally il would
be expected in case of this kind
thdt the rate Of taNes would be dou-
BILE. if not treble. that paid in the Dis
trict. So YOU might have tax rate of
S2.25, SO or $500 prevailing in that
city. Assuming the rate To he $500
the tax on this piece OF property.
which Is assessed for &2.5nU. though
ii has an actual value of Sl0nuo
would he &75.nO
In the District of Columbia. the
assessors are required under the law
as by statute is required in many of
the states, tn assess property at it's
full value. Unlike the assessments
levied in the States. however an eX-
animation nf the records At the Dis
trict Building viii disclose that the
property is assessed Al nearer its
true or full value than in any city in
the United States. The aSSeSsors dn
not guess Al the value. but take actual
sales in the immediate neighhorhood
and in that WY determine the fair
CIsh value "f piece Of properly. II
l. a matter Of common knowledge
1hat IN many Instances the assess
ment Is IL excess Of the sale value of
the property. II, therefore. a piece of
property in the District is valued at
$io.oG0. and the assessment is $40
per hundred. and the tax paid by the
District citizen would he $40 against
the $75 paid by the citizen of Chicago
ON property of equal value"
Mr. Brandenburg quoted Census
Bureau hgureS to show that Washing
ton property is relatively highly taxed.
and concluded
Inequity of Rate Increase.
TO increase the rate of taxes in
the District of Columbia to s. or
$50 with the valuation of property
for assessment purposes at it's fun
value. would make the rate of taxes
on District property from one and a
half to two times as great aS in man
other municipalities. It is difficult
now for the small property holder
10 nIN idNeS ~ Ine present rate. but
il will make it almost impossible for
him To own his own home and nav
taxes il this rate i& IL he increased
80 or a. per cent. The taxes nov
being paid hy The District citizen upon
his real estate makes the return upon
the properly 50 small as tn hardly
justify ownership.
Il have in mind ~ the present mo-
ment l. pieces uf business propertv
located Within q few blocks of the
Post Office building. This property
s. assessed for tax purposes II S29&..
GOO. The gross income from this prop
erty. all Of which il under rental. is
S1f 1897. The taxes on this property
at the rate of $40 per hundred are
s.. .076 for the year. leaving net re-
tn of S9.2Sl. In other words. the
taxes paid are more than one.third
Of the gross income. viii any one for
a moment contend that this properly
IS not bearing a greater burden in
taxes than iS fair and proper. and Isl
the rate Of Si.1O per hundred not TOO
high?
4 am firmly convinced that the pic
ture painted Of the properties Just re
ferred to is not unlike that which can
he found in many Othe" sections of th,.
city Is il conceivable for a moment
thai if such u condition existed in any
of the States that such influence
would he brought to bear upon The
essessors and the taxing authorities
that would force readiustment
The citizen OF the District has no
relief. Congress speaks and il has
lid that tthe property must he as.
,..ssed at its+ full value, and the officers