The New York herald., 1879-12-30

OF uncollectable taxes I believe that nothing bach
or 1879 Will ever be collected. The amounts since
that time represent chiefly nsolvencies and erro-
neous estimates. They have gone through all the
processes necessary to collect In 1872 on account
OF the enormous deficiency. issued. fhink. 1900
Warrants Now the number of warrants each year is
about twenty-five hundred. Neither the Comptroller
nor myself has any authority to strike of these old
accounts although not dollar could be collected"
How about the $40 900 900 for local assessments %
"Ihose constitute a lien on the real estate taxed
and are OF course coliectable"
4t. THE REMEDY.
"What remedies would you suggest for the diff
culties in the way of collecting personal taxes?"
II would have personal taxes abolished
"Would not that necessitate in the assess-
ments on real estate?
'I.et the real estate of each county and town be
taxed tor local purposes only. Let the State collect
its tax from certain classes OF corporations. such
railroads. but not small manufacturing companies.
schools and churches. Then the city of New York
would be relieved from bearing an undue proper
ton Of the State That should be paid directly
to tho authorities at Albany by the corporations
taxed. 1t should be large enough to pay all the ex-
penses # the State government and the interest on
the State debt. New York and Brooklyn now pay
much more than half OF the whole State tx. New
York alone pays s3.751.o62 10 for this year. Now.
the amount of the personal tax assessment in this
city is S45S9,035 ~. Deducting tho tax on bank
stock, 1t would be very nearly equal to the state
tax Abolish the personal taxes and let the corpora-
tons pay the State tax and the burden on real estate
need not be increased at al'
what would the corporations say to that?"
well. a great many of the corporations would
not object, If they were taxed their stock less the
their personal property. majority OF the corpora
tions would not object. 1t would be very small
tax and therefore not burdensome. This plan would
save New York. first. from being taxed unduy for the
State government, and secondly from loss on uncol-
lected taxes. The city now has to pay its proper
ton Of the amount of State tax upon the valuation
personal property. just the il we collected
the full amount of the assessments"
STATEMENTS OF OTHER OFFICIALS.
Mr. j. Nelson Tappan, City Chamberlain, was next
called upon. He said that the real estate taxes,
being always lien on property aud always col
lectable were counted part OF the citys assets,
but the personal taxes were not so counted until
paid Ho referred the reporter for further details to
Mr. Artemus Cady Clerk of Arrears.
Mr.. John Wheeler. President OF tho Board of Tax
whore the Board OF Estimate and Arportionment
were holding their last meeting of tho year. Mr..
Wheeler declined to be interviewed but promised to
obtain for the reporter any figures that his
Office could furnish. He also referred the reporter
TO Mr.. Cady.
Mr.. Cady was found at his Office in the basemen
of the Court House. He said that the figures shown
him by the reporter We're accurate. The amounts
for personal taxes were claims against individuals; ;
but those for real estate claims against prop
erty, and therefore rightly considered assets.
The last sale for made i'll 1874 and included
all assessments up to the year 1871. All before
that time had been settled The reason for
not having any sale since 1874 because the Leg
islature had stepped i'll from year TO year and pre-
vented 1t by legislation Unless it did again there
would be u sale next year.
''Will the property pay all the taxes inquired the
'.Oh. yes" answered Mr.. Cady "our sales are
made in this way-for the shortest term that the
and interest. There are cases Where the property
might not pay the taxes, but they would be excep-
tiona cases. II such case would occur the Cor
poration would have to stay in and become the
buyer. In case there is sale We would sell for
three four years down 1875, for instance
All the sales are made by the Comptroller The real
will be collected entirely. Tie great trouble is with
the personal taxes"