The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-21

IThe Mayor gives q uctdlleu cAlliDlG OF inc Huau-
cal operations OF the city during 1869, which we
omit as all its points have already been published
byus.l
Taxes. .
In this connection notice that OF unpaid taxes
there was outstanding on the first day OF January
or the present year an aggregate Of 80 l72,6l629.
The exhibit OF uncollected taxes, and particularly
that portion assessed for the years prior to the last
with the knowledge of the guarantees provided by
law to fasten them as liens upon the properties
against which they are charged, and the facilities
afforded to collect them Will hardly be satisfactory
TO the prompt paying citizen, nor is 1t credtable
| regard il as of the highest Importance that no
legal means should be neglected nor precautions
omitted to secure prompt payment OF the taxes, and
TO enforce every test provided to ascertain whether
they actually reach the City Treasury. The eleventh
section Of the Consolidation Act provides in express
terms as fOllows:-
"The Receiver of Taxes shall render each day to
the City Controller account of each item OF his
receipts, and daily pay the same into the city Trea-
sury.n
of receipts is most important and is in fact the only
means provided by law to enable THE taxpayer TO
know whether his money has been paid into the
treasury and to enable the city authorities to ascer
tain on investigation OF the Receivers daily state
ment whether the taxes have .en, in each and
every case, duly returned. There are those in our
community who entertain grave doubts whether the
whole amount OF taxes, as above stated are really
outstanding Having listened TO complaints OF ctl-
zens In several instances that taxes which had been
duly paid were afterwards demanded, took occa-
sion to make inquiry at the ofice OF the City Con.
troler, and on examining the daily returns OF
the Receiver, l was surprised TO find
that the Important duty OF making a daily
OF the items Of receipts las been for several
years past neglected, and that the Receiver has
habitualy substituted statement, consisting OF but
one line and Jumping sum for each ward OF the
city, thus rendering u impossible TO ascertain by
reference 10 that record what were the Items OF
each days receipts M each ward, so that the tax
payer public ofctr by reference thereto cannot
ascertain as the lawintended he should whether
any particular tax pail has gone into the treasury
or not. earnestly inToke the attention Of Councils
to this important subject, trusting that prompt and
eficient measures wilbe taken TO secure compliance
with the law above qulted.
Believing that it is tie duty OF Councils TO fix and
levy the rate OF taxation yearly, and that so imp0r-
tant matter should not be permitted 90 20 Dy de-
fault recommend thlt Councils should procure the
repeal of the act OF Assembly Of the sth of March,
1852 which deerres ''hat If the Councils of the city
of Philadelphia, befo0 or on the second stated
meeting in December each and every year, shall
fail to levy and fix therate OF taxes for the ensuing
wear the tax rate OF tie preceding year shall he
tinued as the rate for he ensuing year"
It rs a gratifying circumstance TO note that not
Withstanding our apparently heavy funded debt, the
capitalists, properly appreciating the monetary
strength OF the city, nd Justly relying upon the
nrompt payment of iIerest as II falls due, and ol
ne principal when It natures, regard the city loans
ss among the best In Tie market, and invest In them
Freely when offered; ad that Notwithstanding the
financial eXcitements through which our people
have passed, the nuctutons OF the times, ana the