Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-18
Taxes IN THE DISTRICT.
A Years Receipts.

ANNUAL REPORT OF COLLECTOR COOK.
The annual report OF District Collector John
F. Cook YVES submitted to the District Commits
sioners this morning. 1t shows first, state
ment Of the collections Of hts Office for the fis-
cal year ending June, so, 1879, as follows:
For year ending June 80, 1879: From general
taxes, Washington city. $40. 7o2 10; Georgetown,
washington sai city, slleo:;1s415; Georgetown,
For year ending June 80, 1878: From general
taxes Washington city, $3.50. AS Sc; Georgetown,
1924. "a; county, S1,5zI.1e. Personal taxes,
Washington city, 81, 66o.12; Georgetown, S.
For year ending June so, 1871: From general
taxes, Washington city, s3T, Ass. %; Georgetown,
g, 15s GO; county, A,75s,05. Personal taxes,
From general taxes. for year ending June 80,
1876. S20,9062 20; general taxes, for year ending
lumbIa, 1874, $l5,O91 So: redemption of tax lien
certificates, s4,269.34; licenses, District Of Co
lumbia, si11,s 2O.s3; arrears, corporation OF
dog tax, slO,5O5.12; permit fees. $SsO.69; adver-
tisements. 1915, &c, ", rs, 10, ito reimburse
the District for expenses incurred etc., S2524 %;
tisedl, IS 1927; paving and re-paying Pa. ave-
nue., S33 43; miscellaneous sources Of receipts,
IS. 2S5. 90. Total, s, 61O, S27. G.
He says that the treasurer and assessor re-
ported July 10, 1879, arrearegeS Of general taxes
on real estate at 81, 293, 22.66 and on personal
tax TOR Washington. Georgetown and the coun-
", $2ss, 25s; making total Of 81 ,531, 615 81
Since this statement of arrelrage was prepared
there has been collected OF the same to date
100000, Of which amount upwards OF 100000
was received IN drawback Get ic.ltes, i"sued
under act approved June goth, 1879, and erro-
neously issued taX-liens, received under act ap-
proved February E7, 1879. Much OF this amount
OF arfearage of taxes Is based on property-real
and pc, sonal-whose liability TO lxation IS
disputed. OF this class, notable instance. for
example, among othei5. Is that of the Baltl-
more and Ohio railroad company, whose tax
fc frn1T nYad re, n0vpf
$4,000, less interest, cost for advertising, &C. A
number Of the ban KS of the District of Columbia
claim immunity from taxation Of personal
property, which, with the arbitrarily imposed
assessments on pe1soral property, constitute
nearly ninety per cent. Of this personal tax
arrearage amount. The collector requests an
view of adjusting and determining the value
and amount of assets aud eliminating whatever
should not be corried forward as debt against
the status Of our District properly. The first
ere dit on account Of drawback certificates was
not made until July goth, 1879, about
ee Re most Sae 9es
Of which was limited to october l, 1879, and,
owing to the reces sary delay in adjusting &C.
counts, the issue OF these drawbacks has been
these tax arrears would have been paid, and
many have lost thereby fair and equal oppor-
tupity of discharging their tax obligations IN
1fege, with er cent. interest instead of penal
ties aud accl ued costs, is recommended for tue
consideration Of the Commissioners. The re-
polt calls attention to the necessity of securing
some additional les islation to validate the act
"tO create revenue In the District OF Columbia
by levyiog tax on all dogs, making such dogs
pei sonal property" &C., which act may become
Imperative by Its having been decided recently
in the Police Court that the law does not pro-
vide for clin'ual procedure in the event of
failure to pay the tax 1t is therefore lett II the
collector to distra'u, as provided in other cases
OF tax delinquency. aud as the greater percent
age OF dogs are owned by persons whose per-
sopal property would exempt them, the mere
tex and expense attending the enfo cement OF
the collection would be barren performance
OF duty. There has been received, on account
of the current year, $500. But since the de.
cision referred to, that the court cannot punish
the owner Of dog criminally for failure to at.
tach taX-tag there has been little collected
The estimates for expenses for the next fiscal
year, including salaries, books and stationery,
is about 81 @ 600