The Tax Protest on Madison Street
A Seattle property owner challenges the city's assessment for Madison Street improvements, calling the fees illegal and a cloud on the title.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The following peculiar protest was handed to the City Treasurer, when payment was made on the tax mentioned. It was presented to the City Council last evening, and is now on file at the office of the City Clerk: 'To the City of Seattle and F. Taylor, Treasurer of said city: I hereby tender the sum of $728 in payment of the assessment upon lots 6, 7 and 8 of block 73, A. A. Denny's extension to Terry's first addition to the city of Seattle, for the improvement of Madison street. But I protest that said assessment is illegal and not equitable; and I make said tender under compulsion and protest, and to remove a cloud from my title to said property; and I protest that the proceedings under which said assessment has been made are in fact illegal, irregular and void; and I do not waive any rights to contest the said assessment; and I hereby give notice that I will claim, and that I do hereby claim, repayment of said sum of $728, with legal interest thereon from this date. And I hereby give notice that I will make use of all lawful means to recover said sum and interest, and I herein demand the immediate repayment to me of said sum of $728. Agnes Colman, per L. J. Colman, her agent.'
“I protest that said assessment is illegal, and not equitable; and I make said tender under compulsion and protest, and to remove a cloud from my title.”
Property owners fighting infrastructure assessments is a tale as old as the city itself; while the names of the additions have faded into general neighborhood history, the legal tension between private landowners and city-mandated improvement costs remains a cornerstone of Seattle real estate discourse.
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