, 1869-11-23
TIE COLLECTION OF THE CITY TAXES

free banking would be endless imitation.
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TIE COLLECTION OF THE CITY TAXES.
The City Collector has given public
notice ttet, owing to change in the Law, the
collection OF city taxes will commence one
month later this year, and that it must be
completed before March 20, or there will
be Judgment taken for the amonut un-
mid Mt that time. He also states that the
amount of the several tax warrants vii!
exceed seven millions Of dollars, to bo col.
lected from lots and subdivisions of lots
covering fourteen square miles of territory
These warrants inclnde those for special
assessments, and involve vast amount Of
clerical labor. The time in which this tar
is to be collected does not exceed seventy
i've days The Collector states that the
labors Of tho Office do not close
with the hours during which money is re-
ceired oyet tho counter, bat TINT the clerks
arc engaged far into the uighton the books.
This subject deserves attention at the bands
Of the new City Council In the first place,
The Collector and his books ought to be re-
L1DtGA A4oA4 lA9 &ul3ElRDlI 4ItN0Qs
venicnt looms in which he has to do busi-
ness, and other apartments should be rented
The taxatinn is onerous enough without
adding to it the annoyance Of difficulty in
payment Every person owing taxes ought
to have the opportunity to pay tho same,
loss OF time. The Common Council ought
to authorize The Collector to rent, for the
term Of three months or longer, suitable
room on the ground floor, capable Of hold
ing all those applying for their tag bills
This room ought to be divided of not only
in diyisions, hnt subdiyided in alphabetical
order. Clerks in such numbers as may be
necessary should be authorized. md no
person applying for his bill should be
turned away to come again nezs day. The
ctllce ought to be tept open fnr into the
evening.
There are at least ten thousand persons
owning each one lot in Chicago. Upon one
half OF moro Of these lots there is special
assessment for lamp posts, sewer eonnec-
done, sidewalks, street improvements, or
other purposes. Theae people are voskneu
who leave home at : in the morning, mud do
not return till evening; or they are em-
| ployed during the day Mt great distance
from tho Court House. II requires at least
the loss Of half o dny to attempt to pay
their taxes, and it is no unusual thing 10,
them to be obliged to come half dozen
times befo.e they can reach tho desk. As g
necessity, many Of these people send thei'
wives 10 pay the taxes; these hnve to shut
up their houses, put the children in charge
Of neighbor, and then, after whiting al
day, be obliged to 60 home without having
been able 10 get to the Collectors desk
This is NIL wrong. It is most oppressive
It is hardship and an expense which th,
city has no right to inflict upon any citizen
It is no answer to say that taxpayers pu
off paying their bills until tho last moment
That is the legal right Of every citizen, an
it is no justification for the city being IN
prepared to receive his ta1es whon h
offers to pay them. The public aro not th
servants Of the Collector and his clerks
and should not be required 10 govern the
movements to meet the convenience Of th
officials. The Collectors Office ought to t
open ut o'clock a. H., and 10 kept ope
continuously until 8 p. m., aud not close
then 80 long as any one is present to pu
taxes. We do not mean TO say that clerl
should be compelled TO work without foe
for twelve OF FOURTEEN hours but tho ci,
should furnish tho Collector with all II
force needed to erablc him to keephi. oftis
e open- No dry goods store OF grocery hou,
: = in Chicago finds it convenient or necessal
10 close its doors for two hours at noon, m
c again at 1 o'clock, no matter how extensi'
4 the receipts nay be, nor how urgent the n
cessity for posting the cash account. II
@ city has right to d1 day and an hour Il
r fore which taxes must be paid, and tho eli
70 zen has tho right to delay presenting hir
~ self to the last moment, nnd It is tho bul
W ness Of the city to be prepared to recei
the taxes then and therc-
-. In other cities it is the custom to alle
q an abatement Of taxes paid before the !.
day fixed If law before the attaching OF
penalty. These paying three months bafo
the time are allowed fYe per cent; the
paying two months, three per cent; Al
these paying ose month ase allowed O
per cent. In IL is way, the bulk Of tho
il collected in advance, and the rush ut t
ID last moment is hereby greatly reduce
= We offer no such 'nducement, but conn
TO everybody to meet within one email roo
d end those who cannot reach the Collect
o. before lis cf6ce hours Are closed ate fin