The Placer herald., 1870-01-22
TAX COLLECTOR.


not the subject on.tbs question Of Tax Col.
ector Of this county, and after ram.
bling through or rather emitting shout
column and halt Of suppositOus, winds up
as follows:
az by the law as Il ia. we are without a Tax
Collector no time should be lost TO call an
election for the purpose OF clecting some ono to
the Office. This is a matter OF vast importance
to the people. and their interests should be para
mount to all others"
Well this is cool to trea. US 10 q column
and bali Of stuff, and then leave US in doubt
as to how the matter stands. Technically
speaking We have no Tax.CoIlector in Placer
county. A literal construction Of the law
leaves a vacancy in the office ofTax. Collector
But we agree With the Stripes that when the
matter is pressed to a judicial test the courts
,oiU decide that the County Treasurer is
ex-ofiicio Tax Collector. For this assertion
We have the highest authority 10 the State
short of an absolute decision of the Supreme
Court. This is the only sensible idea ad-
vanced by our peebbor. When the Stripes
says to make tbs SheI if .ex x.officio Tax>Col
lector would do great injustice TO Treasurer
Holenbsck" it simply renders itssIfridicuous
and becomes the augbiog stock Of every sensi
Bile man in the community. We are per-
fecly wiling that Mr.. HollsuJeck should
collect the taxes hut we had concluded that
he would resign the office Of County Treas
urer rather than attempt the collection OF
taxes under the terms Of the law. Here are
the provisions of the la under which Mr.
Hollenbeck must act: o..f.u.. ,r
"The County Tr.asurnrs included in subdivi-
sions sixth. seventh and eighth of this section
shall be cX oiicio collectors OF taxes In their re.
spectve counties; but for making such eoliec-
/ectiOns, or tor making out delinquent tar lists
or performing any 0ther duty required Of them
by lar, they shah receiped no other compensa-
tion than is prescribed IN this section.
This section fixes tue salary Of our County
Treasurer at 81, 800 per annum. Now the
editor Of the Stripes knows that the tolls,
horse hire and hotel bills. Of the TaxColIector
will cost more than the entire salary Of the
County Treasurer, and he evidently never
saw the law above quoted or is wholly bsreft
of reasoo. If Treasurer Holsnb beck will
file bis bond as Tax nlIsctor and declare bis
intention to collect the taxes, and perform
the duties Of County Treasurer for the
fifteen hundred dollars per year, the whole
question will be- settled and we wal oppose
any legislation on the subject. This slop
shop article in the Stripes bnts at the pos
ibilny OF the old Collectors trying to bold
over. We will bere only say that there are
now no 2dr Collectors in the first and second
districts, aud the man is fool who pays
any taxes 10 the persons pretending to have
authority TO collect. When the Stripes
says that tho Tax-Colector must be
elected by the people, we say that i. is
true and the Treasurer, Shertf, Assessor
Clerk and Recorder were all elected by the
people and any one OF them can be legally
and oonstitnlionaly made ex otiieio Tax
Collector The correctness Of the position has
been sustained by repeated decisions Of the
Supreme Court and ibis the editor Of
the Stripes knows and will not deny
Now we submit TO our nsighbor the
we want to make that man Collector
who can most easily and eifsctuaIIy make
the collections, and we ask The Stripes 10 al
sincerity, II that officer is not the Shsr,ff.