Evening star., 1955-02-09
GAO Proposes
RedppraisaI Of
City Property
Districts Failure
To Keep Records Hit
Report Under Study

A general reassessment Of all
real estate In Washington
through questionnaires to prop
erty owners themselves has beer
recommended to the District
Commissioners by the General
Accounting Office.
The report Is the first pro-
duced by the GAO since it put
a field staff into Offices Of the
District two years ago to con-
duct a comprehensive audit oi
the city government, as it does
of all Federal agencies.
Charging that "there have
been no general overall reap
praisals Of real properties with
in the District as required by
law since 1940," Robert L. Long
GAO director of audits. de-
clared: "It Is entirely possible
that such reappraisals have
never been made"
Blame for Present Situation.
He said the present situation
resulted from the failure, over
a period of years, to develop
adequate records and policies
and insisted:
"We believe that further de-
lay in establishing the basic rec
ords and definite assessment
policies will serve only to in
crease the problems"
District Assessor James L.
Martin said his staff is GO
ing over the report preparatory
TO making a recommendation to
the Commissioners. The asses
sor said the reports criticisms
we're along the same line as he
has stressed for several years in
asking for more funds to expe-
Jdite reappraisal work.
Calls 1t Old Story.
Mr.. Martin said that while the
report is new, the story is an
/ old one which has vexed him
since he took Office in 1851,
From 1929 until 1853, the as
SCISSORS Office had only five
appraisers to assess all new prop
critics and reassess the old. FL
nally. pleas to congressional ap-
preparations committees produced
five more assessors.
The staff still is unable to
appraise more than $50 million
worth of new building yearly
, and make much inroads on re-
assessing all the old in some
100000 parcels, he said.
Il For a quick reappraisal Of all
the. city's property, a staff Of
200 or more would be needed,
he said. Another alternative
would be to hire a firm Of ap-
praisers to undertake the big
job.
ta Purpose of Reappraisal.
Mr.. Longs letter, which ac-
companied the 10-page report,
said:
"The purpose Of the general
reappraiSal Is not to provide the
means for increasing general
real estate tax revenues as a
whole, but is to correct inequities
due to wide price variations in
order to equalize to a reasonable
degree the real estate tax burden
Of the individual property own
erS.
The report said reassessment
through physical inspections
alone would be impracticable.
:" The report also ruled out
physical reappraisal by private
firms as costly and recon-
mended:
/. The Commissioners estab-
lish definite written policies for
assessing property, and set up
procedures for keeping detailed
information on the properties.
2. Prompt preparation of prop
erty description records for all
District real estate Ito form the
basis for periodic reappraisals.
8. An attempt to obtain all
necessary basic information
directly from the taxpayers
through the use Of question
naires."
Increase in Revenue.
Concluding, the report said
"the proposed general reap
praisal would undoubtedly re.
suit in an increase in the totaI
appraised valuation as a whole
because the trend has been up
ward. This would result in an
increase in total real estate
revenues.
However, If the total revenues
are to remain as presently esti.
mated, a downward adjustment
IN necessary in'the percentage
of assessment to appraised valu.
alton or in the tax rate"
Chevy Chase Post Office
l.. n.-l.