Civilian & telegraph., 1862-01-02
Communicated.
For The Cipiltau.


ture of the peoples money by former Boards
Of our County Commissioners, and / took the
liberty to suggest to you wherein much could
be saved by you if you would adopt rigid
system of retrenchment and economy. /
complained In that communication of the
large sums of money that hsve been annu-
ally lost to the county by the present man
ner of appointing but one Collector of Taxes
for the whole county, of the large number of
taxables annually returned as insolvents, and
worse than all, of the County Commissioners
allowing the Collector commissions on taxes
which they never do collect. l promised
that would give to you, in future commu-
nication, the system of collecting taxes in
Pennsylvania; now proceed to redeem that
promise with as much brevity as / can, to
make myself understood by you.
The County Commissioners are authorized
by law to appoint two Assessors, think,
every three years, in each election district.
| These Assessors are citizens of tho district
which they are appointed to assess. These
Assessors make returns of their assessments
to the County Commissioners. The County
Commissioners then give public notice that
they will meet at some public house in each
district, on day named by them, where the
taxable citizens can appear before them and
appeal from the assessment CT their property
made by the Assessors. If any thing appears
wrong the County Commissioners correct it
at once. After the County Commissioners
get through all of the districts, they meet at
their office, in the county town, and thero
examine and compare the assessments that
have been made, and equalize the assessments,
so as to make every district in the county
pay her just valuation of each mans pro-
perty. The tax is then laid. The clerk of
the Commissioners then transcribes the names
of the taxabes in each district in separate
books. The Commissioners then appoint a
Collector for each election district none but
responsible men are appointed. Before the
book leaves the Office judgment is entered
up against the Collector for the full amount
Of the taxes placed in his hands for collec-
ton, and he is obliged to collect every cent
Of the taxes charged. No credits are given
for insolvents unless the Collector first brings
the body of the insolvent before the Commits
soners, who then release him if it shall ap-
pear that he has nothing out of which to
make the taxes. The person appointed the
Collector is obliged to act, or pay to the |
county fine of fifty dollars. The Collector
takes his seat, at every election, by the side |
of the judges Of election, aud whenever any
voter offers to vote who has failed to pay his |
taxes for two years, the Collector reminds |
him of his delinquency, and he cannot vote !
until the taxes arr. paid either by himself or
some of his friends. In this way little or
nothing is ever lost to the county.
The taxes are all paid to the Treasurer of
the County, who is elected by the people
All charges against the county arc paid by
the Treasurer.
Auditors are appointed, who annually ex-
anime the Treasurer's account and vouchers. |
The salary OF the Treasurer Of the County is
fixed by law, at from $500 to $500 year.
In conclusion would recommend that the !
present Legislature should pass law author
izing and directing our County Commission
ers to appoint one Collector in each election
district in the county; also empowering them
to appoint County Treasurer, to whom all |
taxes must be paid, and by whom all charges
against the county must also be paid. The
minor details Of such a law will suggest |
themselves to the minds of our members of |
the Legislature.
Something must be done to save the peo-
pie from the extravagaut and ruinous course |
so long INDUCED in by our County Commits
sioners. 1t is for you, gentlemen, to lay the |
axe of retrenchment and reform at the root |
OF the tree Of waste and extravaganza Let |
us have no more levies for room rent for the |
Clerk to the Court let that officer be at all |
times found at the Office Of the County Com
missioners. Let no more contingent funds
be levied in any persons hands. Let no |
more special leyes be made and placed in |
the hands of grossly incompetent persons. |
Reduce all salaries to what they We're when |
times were good and money plenty. For
merly we paid the Physician to the Poor
House one hundred dollars; in these hard |
times We now pay him two hundred dollars
A few years ago we paid the Steward Of the
Poor House two hundred dollars; we now
pay him three hundred and fifty dollars
yearly, besides boarding him and all of his
family, making his salary equal to, if rot ex-
ceeding, one thousand dollars year. Let
us dispense with making levies for boarding
outdoor pensioners, as has been for some
time the case. You, gentlemen, must COM
mence the work of re elorm.
A TAXABLE.
P. S.-Since writing the above, l have
learned from a gentleman that the late Board |
of County Commissioners refused to allow
commissions on irsolvent taxables. For this
they deserve much credit. I am also in
formed that one of the late Board of Com