, 1879-01-16

Thera is evidently All aotive interest," felt
throughout the State with regard to tho cor-
roction Of those provisions Of tho Revenue
law which experience has shown to be tle-
fectiva. Among tho bllla proposed in tho
Legislature Oil tho subject wc may mention
TINT introduced BY 1Ir. MATTHEWS, which pro.
vtles TINT III n'l cases where property Is for.
fcitod to tls State for the Non.pnyncnt OF
taxes tie amount Of cacl, forfeiture, will,
the costa and interest ut 20 per cent, shall bo
included in tho next years. levy. Tho pres.
ent ra.o is 10 per cont. Tho now ratc wilt
bo 70 por cent ror annum compounded. Tho
prcsont pcnalty for delinquency is wholly
insufficient to compel persons to pay thsir
taxes, and tho change Is ut least m oxpcri-
,nent in the way Of improving tho collection
of revenue.
Az result Of tho meeting Of representa-.
tivcs Of the several City Governments Of
shts State, threo bil!s havo been matused for
presentation to tho Legislature. Tho flrst Of
these bills IL to amonl the general law re-
lating to Incorporated cltiss by requiring
them to pass their aunun1 appropriations
during tho three mouths preceding tho
t'cginniug Of each fscal year, instead
Of during tho threo months follow
ing such ycar, aud requiring the amount
OF rovsnue to be raised by taxation to
bo certified to tho County Clerk In May
instead Of August, as NOW. This IL = most
decided soform. The fiscal year Of the Ci.y
OF Chicago begins on the lat Of january OF
each year, aud tue appropriations for that
yoar aro not matls until the close Of March,
sud tho amount Of rovonuo needed Ia not
csrtllel until August. Iu tho meantime
part Of the year ID passed without my MP
preparations, aud niue months hhvo expired
before any tax Ia loviei. Under tAis bill the
appropriations for tho yoar will be made aud
tixsd hofors tho your begins.
4 second bill proposes to make the Office
Of Asscssor one Of four years Instead Of Que
yeas, " at presout, aud thus glyo q continuity
to the Office. Al present tho whoia duty Of
NIL ASSESSOR has to bu performed within sixty
lnys. Under this bill the work Of the As.
SCISSORS otHoo will 10 continuous; and, a.
SOON aa ono assessment is completed, le can
TO On with his books preparatory to next
years. assuss.aent. It Is sought by tho bill
to have property assessed at its valuo Oh tho
lat OF january iuatead of on the lst Of May,
al now. Th!s last provision, unless confined
to property in thu cities, will bs sesisted iu
tho agricultural districts. The lst Of May
WAS fixed for the lifting and valuation OF
property for tho special accommodation OF
tho farsutrs, who by that tin,e hare generally
disposed of their crops, including hogs and
cat.ls,
1t II proposed, It the change Ut date fos
fixing valuation be changed from Alay to
January, that the Assessors, with tbs
preparatory work donu bufosu tho beginning
OF the year, shall return tho assessments iu
aInrch Instead Of July, ~ at present, aud
thut the 6,ato Board Of Equalization shall
meet IN April Instead Of September, AZ now.
The warrant for The collection Ut tAxes will
bs delivered 10 tho Collector In august, aud
judgment for delinquent taxes will ba ob
taiued In October. In this way eaoh year't
taxss will 30 collected within the year fol
which they are leyied, and not ~ now, nius
mouths after the year has expired. This will
cut OF very largely All necessity for the issu.
Of warrants Oh thu Treasury or scr;p,-at
svll which IL both costly, hazardous, and yer,
embarrassing to ali City Governments. Al
these changes IN existing laws sro in the iu
tereat Of seouomy aud prompt and responsible
government. hut ouo OF the best changes
aud ouo which tho people Of this city viii
heartily welcome, IL TINT which dispense,
with the 2a0 manuscript volumes which nov
form purt of the machinery Of taxation
This bill reduces the number Of copies o
thu tax lit t1om seven to two, One O
these IL tue originai books Of tho Assessor