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<br />paid until the budget could be passed. I told him at. the time I wanted to use this money as
<br />part payment on my taxes.
<br /> The last of November, I called on the Manager again and told him I wished to
<br />collect this money so as to avoid the 5~ penalty, etc., and if the City could not ay it then
<br />I would pay my taxes, but leave this twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.OO) to be pai~Pas soon as
<br />I received the check~ from the Oity.
<br /> This check was paid to me by the City last week and I immediately took it over
<br />to the Oity Oollector, which he can not accept without the authority of the City Council or
<br />Oity Manager, ~ omit the fines,interest, etc,
<br />
<br />Very truly yours,
<br />
<br /> Ohas~ F. Harper.~
<br />
<br />The following letter was read a~d referred to the City Attorney:
<br />
<br />To the Portsmouth Oity Council,
<br /> Portsmouth, Virginia.
<br />
<br />"Portsmouth, Va.,
<br />
<br />March 30, 1935.
<br />
<br />Gentlemen:
<br />
<br />Subject - Taxes, erroneous and Water.
<br />References - My letter of Jan. 22,
<br /> Reply signed ~y Oity Olerk
<br /> and Auditor, Feb. 16,1935.
<br />
<br /> Because I c~u not bel~ve~that the Oity of Portsmouth intended that in ad-
<br />dition to exorbitant taxes and oppressive restrictions that I have endured for thirteen years
<br />without any city advsL~tages or conveniences, to further afflict me for the failure of city
<br />officials who have been hired and paid to make proper assessments of city property, I am re-
<br />peating my request for relief of erroneous taxes~charged.
<br /> Close search of records and careful calculations show the amount of these
<br />charges to be $117.35 of which the letter referred to authorize relief of $55.80, leaving a
<br />balance of $62.55. Please have this correction made and the proper adjustment made in the
<br />Oity records, for the current land book indicates that the house ~nd lot belonging to the
<br />estate o£ the late Ers. Lottie Hinton, though transferred from the County to the Oity recores,
<br />are still assessed against me. The Commissioner of Revenue knows of the error. The records
<br />of 1921 constitute evidence. My property in question (piece~ 120 x 140') was assessed as va-
<br />cant at $60.00 in 1920. In 1921 the records show this piece assessed at $200~O0 and a house
<br />on it at $200.00~ (when no house was or has since been on it). This shows a total increase
<br />in aasessed value o£ $340.00, or 567~ and on the land alone an increase of $14OOO0 or 233%.
<br />The increase ~n the adjoining, land was on ~n~ piece from $$15.00 to $1250.00, or 201~, and
<br />on ~he other.mrom~$?O0.O0 to $2000.00 or 18~/~, The mean increase on the adjoining ~d was
<br />194%, which ms 39~ less than the increase on my land. In what other way can the 39~ larger
<br />increase on my land than on the adjoining land, besides the assessment for the house, be
<br />counted for but by charging the house and lot to me?
<br /> The matter of taxes as shown in a report of the Home Owners Loan Oorpora-
<br />tion is a part~al cause of the hold-up of my application to that Corporation for means to pay
<br />taxes and other claims against the land. The 0itizens Trust Oompany and the American National
<br />Bank are interested in this H O L O transaction.
<br /> Rather than wait indefinitely for~this adjustment or send another incorrect
<br />statement from the City Oollector~s office, i am forwarding copies of this correspondence ~th
<br />the hope that the H 0 L 0 will believe, as I do, that the correction will be m~de.
<br /> Some years ago, I carried a number of applications for families in this sec-
<br />tion of the Oity to the Water Superintendent for water, and understood from him that it would
<br />be necessary fo~ us to pay the cost of running the main from Tru~ton, a distance of about 500
<br />yards (about $200.00) I think). Later at the request of a merchant the main was extended about
<br />two-thirds of the distance. Last year, I took applications of seven families and was told that
<br />upon deposit of $10. O0 for each family the main would be extended to the City line. These
<br />qu~ements not being met, we have no water.
<br /> There are ~~fteen persons packed ~n~o my quarters, warm dry weather is near
<br />and there is no water in sight. Will you please think of us as poor taxpayers in this corner
<br />of the 0ity, and try to have sufficient regard for ou~ health and comfort ~o have this water
<br />main extended these 160 yards (about) to the City line to give us a chance to get water?
<br />
<br />Very truly,
<br />
<br />(Sig~ed) Geo. ~. Brandon."
<br />
<br /> The compensation report for N~rch, from Oommissioner of Revenue, Oity Trea-
<br />su~e~ ~nd Oo~monwealth Attorney, was presented.
<br />
<br />On motion of Mr. Fox, same was approved.
<br />
<br /> N~. Btewart stated that the Central Labor Union has paid $35.00 for use of
<br />auditorium in connection with meeting of Brats Labor meeting.
<br />
<br />Motion of ~. Stewart to refund said $35.00 was adopted.
<br />
<br />Approved -
<br />
<br />On motion adjourned.
<br />
<br />OITY CLERK.
<br />
<br />
<br />
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