The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-02-01
HOW SHALL OUR TAXES BF COLI
HsECTEDy

Every firing which relates 70 the taxes o
the people is OF general interess. klr. Rail-
who was formerly State Treasurer, has ia.
sroduced bill into tbe Legislature which pro,
poses 10 improve the prcseet rneIaed ofcol.
iecting taxes. Mr.. Maxwell has cent Us a
copy, which we publish below, and such
views as occur 10 US IN study ing lis provis.
ions.
l.. II proposes thai al the taxes in each
township shall be coliected by one man. and
not by four as under the existing law. This
is right: because, by MIR. Balls plan, the tax
can be collected much cheaper than under
tie present system. A man can colec, four
taxes nearly as soon as one il he has the
four 10 one duplicate. The cheap collection
of taxes is 10 be the second consideration in
every system or arrangemenl-sateiy being
ibe first ore. The fewer the colleclors-the
better for tho taxpayers. But Mr. Balls bill
IL inile defective in its details in this re-
spec,. In The 9Th section il would give the
collector about seven per cent for his ser.
vices, and by the 10Th section the Treasur.
CT is to have two per cent additional for his
services. Under the present plan we pay
about six per cent. ipr the collection and fl
nal disbursement Of taxes, aud if the new
plan will not work cheaper it has defect.
But if one man had all The taxes of a town.
ship to collect he could certainly do il for
three per cent. /; and if all the taxes of a
county passed through The Treasursr's hands
one per cent would make large salary for
him. In some counties il would in a few
years make small fortune; and even in the
smaller counties il would give the Treasur-
er 81 900 year, and not occupy oue half
his time. True, the Few law would take
one of the best and safest business men in
tbs county for Treasurer, but lew gooi bus-
ness men in small county clear over ST.
900 year. By such a modification OF MIR.
Balls act our taxes could be collected cheap.
2. The new act would offer proper in
ducemeut for the prompt and early payment
OF taxes. The diligent tax. paye would save
an abatement, of five per cent, while the de.
linquent and speculaior in money would
have fine Of Eve per cent. or more 10 pay
for their DELAY. At present the prompt tax.
payer pays the expense of collecting from
the man who delays or speculales with his
money. This would moi be SO under Mr..
Balls act. In general, ii is not so much the
poor man who delays payment, as the slow
motioned one aud the speculaior.
g. The new law could require the town.
ship collector 10 give himself diligently TO
the work OF collection, and 10 return his du-
plicate 10 the Treasurer in 45 days for set
element. This would be a great improve
--~~-. - 49, r-----. r'--, --l-- -I:-L ..'a
have known the collector 10 use the public
money for years-Ioan ii perhaps 10 one Of
The Commissioners who had appointed him
draw interest for il, al usurous rate,
while the county was paying Interest on its
loans and finally The honest taxpayers had
TO pay for the expense OF collecting this
backs!anding lax from the delinquent col.
lector.
In this particular we think, however, that
Mr. Balls bill should be so amended that
tho constable would begin his work Of col
lection on the first of August and return his
duplicate in three months from The time he
received it. This would be better ior all
par,es. The abaIemeat ceases after The 18th
of Jolly, and constable ia some townships
could hardly get though in As days
1. Under the new act the tax uncolleceG
upon unseated land and seated land on which
there is no personal property would be bet.
ter returned, and more safely secured. AT
present in many instances The overseers,
school directors and supervisors reelect TO
make these returns, and the taxes are lost
b. There would mot be so many officers
trying 10 make living out of the collection
and disbursement OF township taxes.
6. The tax duplicates would in every case
be safely secured by bond aud bail, either
in the hands Of the Treasurer, or Of the con-
stable, who would be liable on his official
bond. The public would not be so liable as
now 10 suffer from the ignorance, careless
ness and dishonesty of township officers in
giving their duplicates 10 their favoriies or
friends without taking proper security. The
safely of the peoples money is the first con-
sderation in arranging law or this subject,
and reform is certainly needed in this re-.
<peet.
7. If the collecting department was under
an intelligent and energetic head, such as
the new law designs for a Treasurer, the
public accounts would be kept in better or.
der than they now are in many inslances- -
The Treasurer would be required TO be
man Of good business talents, TO keep about
200 accounts in small county, and he could
afford to avail himself OF the best legal coun-
sci and assistance.
A. nd yel here is perhaps the weakest point
of The new law. To throw SO much money
;n,o The hands of one man will certainly be
an addition, al temptation 10 Gefalcation.-
And If /, does moi tempt 10 ruin, il may al
least lead 10 a dangerous speculation with
The public funds. The steady, honest farm
ers who under the present law make excel
lent Treasurers, coula not manage the COM
pIica,ed affairs under tie proposed change;
or il they did attempted Il with smart clerk,
the case Of Simpson in Philadelphia ponts
out what might be the naiurs. resell, whsre
80 large sum was TO be handled.