, 1877-05-06
THE TAX-CoLLECTION BILL.

1He house OF Representatives aI opr!nB
field has passed Mr.. MATTHEWS bill amend
ing the time for the payment of taxes. A
present taxes for State, county, and city fo1
| a current year attach to all property on A1aJ
! !. Some time during the summer the va1ua
tons are made, the assessments equalized
and the tax levied In December, the last
month of the year, the tax books are put
into the hands Of the Collectors; the Col
lectors hold these books until the March fol-
lowing, when they are returned to the
County Collector, who, during the summer,
publishes the delinquent LIST, and applies for
and obtains judgment against tho dc1in-
quent property, and in due time proceeds to
sell the property. Heretofore this sale has
generally taken place in August or Septem-
Der. The taxes therefore of any year are
not collected during any part Of that year,
but during the succeeding year, and in this
county aftor the 1st of July. A consequence
of this is, that the county and city have to
carry on their Governments by funds raised
in anticipation of the revenue. The oppro-
priations for the support of the City Gov
ernment for the twelve months Of 1877 are
about $4,000,0o0, for which tax is laid;
but no part of that tax will ba collected dur
ing 1877, leaving the city without cent of
revenue, and compelling it to accept ad !
vances until the tax is collected next year.
hlr. MATTHEWS bill, which has passed one;
branch of the Legislature, provides that, |
after the 10th Of March annually, all unpaid
taxes on real estate shall be legally delina4
quent, and thereafter shall draw interest atsE
the rate Of 2 per cent per month until paid i
but on all such taxes on real estate paid on
or before the 10th day of February-that is,
between December and the 10th Of Februat
V-there shall be allowed discount of 3
per cent on the gross amount Of tho tax and
special assessments SO paid. On all pay
ments made between Feb. 10 and March 10,t
discount Of per cent shall be allowed.
This provision will be Of great benefit to
the city. It will result in the collection of
large part of the city and county revenue
before the 10th Of February, instead of in
July, as at present. It will offer to the tax
payer, large or small, an 1nducement to pay
the tar. As the city and county now pay in
terest on all their revenue for an average of
ten months in the year, the collection of
taxes in February vii! be great saving Of
interest even after paying the discount. At
present persons allow their property to be
sold for taxes, the penalty being the light
ono of 10 per cent interest after sale; but
under this law the penalty for the non-
payment of taxes will be Mt the rate of q
per cent per annum, dating from March, and
not from the date Of sale, as heretofore.
VIC trust TINT now that the financial man
agement Of the affairs Of the city has been
placed in proper hands, and that rigid
economy has been adopted, the taxpaying
public will cooperate in these measures Of !
good government By availing themselves of |
his plan, saving not only percentage
# their own taxes, but saving much larger
Of interest on the expenditures
+ the government. No wiser or better
mendment to the Revenue law has been pro-
osed than is contained in this MATTHEWS
aW. ~