Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-09-14
Efsfricf Finances.
ANNUAL REPORT OF TIE TREASURER AND A


AS stated in yesterdays STAR. the District
Treasurer and assessors annual report submit
ted 10 the District Commissioners, showed re.
ceipts from the collectors Office amounting to
81, ,6s3.2S From miscellaneous sources which
tie treasurer enumerates, the ABOVE amount Is
swelled TO sl,si3, 6266I. Drawback certificates
and erroneous tax lien and tax sales certid-
Gates amounting to SIS, $40. IS. have been de-
Pcslted with the treasurer by the collector and
cancelled The large amount OF water rent col
Iect1onS curing last year Is attributed 70 two
collections-one during July and August for the
iiscal year. which was declared by the court to
nave peen Illegal, and the Overcharged amount
0Tered 10 be refunded by this Office, requiring
Gal checks and a repayment OF $50. $50. 30
The other collection was made for the whole
Year from January ], 1850, TO January l. ISL
as required by law.
LICENSES.
Licenses to the number OF z, S4I were issued
amounting TO 500, 6S9.5l, and exceeding tue co.
lection OF last year by the sum of s. SIS "a which
has been obtained from bar rooms by the energy
OF the inspector OF licenses. A large humber Of
persons VINO have heretofore been licensed as
commercial agents, have this year escaped
owing TO a decision that as ''owners" they Mere
not liable; the receipts would otherwise have
oeen much larger from this class of licenses,
ana the law ought to be changed so as 40 IN
ctude 01rnerS as well as agents. He eX ore 3,s,
the belief that the revenue from licenses would
De greatly Increased II an additional ms JecGor
could be appointed.
ASSESSMENT BRANCH
a statement OF the Teal estate Of the District
of Columbia on the 3Oth or June. 1871 after lSt.
correction OF the books, show for Washlngtol:
IaXaOe. Si6,0Sj. 940; District Of ColHm ia Or, J.
erty, 0v5. 200, exempt from taxation. 81 O5 O16;
n1led States property, 1921 ,56I, making
total valuation of 500 .0ls, 2s3.
FER Georgetown: Taxable, So POI 1913: District
OF Columbia property, 500 3i5; exempt from
taxation, SS49 ,l52, and United s ates property.
S'2 i2'. making total for that city OF s. S2 237
For county: Taxable. IS SOB 1893 District of
Columbia property, sS4, 499; exempt from taxa
ZION, SSH 259; United States property So 1i2 $50
making total OF SO, ~, aud grand total
OF Slt6 45l,96l. To this add the assessed value
or new improvements not heretofore assessed
me arrearageS OF general and personal taxes
june 81, 1873. were ST. So, sis "a. Arrearaees OF
general and special taxes June 80, 1899, IS ST.
lo4, ~, showing decrease OF 1922 ,06i.sT In
general and 81. As In special taxes. BY tab
ular statement the assessor shows the real de-
crease OF personal tax to have been ST. $685.
OF THE PERSONAL TAX
the Assessor says: "During the month OF June
a vigorous effort Was made oy the Commits
SlonerS, Dy sending out circulars and bills and
nueh larger amount OF these taxes was col
ltcted than was anticipated. owing, however
10 some oefects III the present law, the collector
has oeiaI Ell TO ClStratn, and many Old accounts
remains on the books upon which nothing can
De 1eailZtd fOf the reason that some OF the de-
Inquents have left the city, some have died
ana their property has been distributed: Others
have failed il business. / recommend that in
future peremptOry proceedings against all de-
Inquents he required by law TO be taken during
the month OF July in each year, aud that power
&c obtained TO adjust all old accounts, upon
satisfactory Information Being obtained Ia rela-
uon thereto. our citizens complain gfievousiy
about this tax, which they cali .inqulstoriaI'
lnlqGitoQs,' 'uhJast,' &C, and in many cases
upon which any just I'D idea '''c can .n'''b Be-
| formed as to their taxable property.
A large number OF persons have placed Their
funds In stocks and L. s. bonds that are exempt
from tax, and claim that there is nothing taxa
Die but household effects, merchandise and
bonds ana mortgages: and in order 10 escd pc
residences In adjoining states. lie Is urged tlaE
the tendency OF the present law is 10 drive
capital out OF the District. The treasurer still
adhereS TO the opinion IN relation to notes
secured by real estate expressed in his report
OF last year, 10 which he Calls attention, ana
| says" This Class OF securities is free from
taxation In Maryland. The returns for this
| year show large diminuton from those OF tue
last and the previous years, notwithstanding
greater eXeItlOnS On Cur part to obtain better
! result. The people are anxious to be allowed TO
substitute q complete system OF licenses for
! The personal tax, leaving nothing taxable bus
| real estate and household chatteIS. More
money viii be realized ny general license law
| than under the present law. and more eduiUa-
bly, AID satisfactorily. It Will be observed In
this connection that licenses are collected In
the beginning or before the business is com
menced, and taxes are not delinquent until the
end OF the year for which the assessment Is
made, when much Of the property has been dis
sipated and the taxpayer Is often not To De
found"
CHURCH PARsoNAGEs TAXABLE
OF church parsOnages the assessor says: There
are III the District some 80 buildings belonging
to the congregations OF the several ChurcneS
which are occupied by the pastors or these
churches. Upon an examination Oh the books
IL is found that large amount or unpaid taxes
or many Years Stands charged against them
aid In only few cases have the taxes been
paid ar all, and not continuously. II Is claimed
that these parsonages are built or bought ex-
pIessly Tor the use OF the churches ana as a
necessary appendage thereto. and that what
| otherwise would be a rental is recaoued as a
| part OF the pastors salary. The corporation
| law OF 1860 makes no provision to their exernu-
t1on from taxation, tut houses OF public wpr-
| snip" are excepted to- and assessors under that
| law construed 1t literally by Including the
grounGs aud other buildings belonging TO the
cnuICn. Ia lew cases the parsonage building,
but lot the grounds, was assessed during the
time fTom 1860 to 1870, and In many cases there
was an assessment made but not carried out on
| The tax BOOKS. The act OF Congress Of june II.
lS.o, provides: From aud after the passage OF
thiS act all churches aud school houses
ana ali Duidlngs, grounds and property appur-
tenant thereto and used In connection there
With in the District shall be EXEMPT
iron any and all taxes or assessments national
or municipal" Under this law some parsGnages
are marked On the tax books exempt" and
some taxable" The law OF 1871 which made
no exemption even as 10 churches caused all this
pIopeItS 10 De put on the tax books. Under that
anu subsequent laws, parsonageS are clearly
taHaoie AID l recommend that authority be
Obtained TO settle all these taxes by couipr)-
inlse anu II wouid seem to be just that all such
ldAes anould De RENTED previous to 1915. Ia
oetu, compulsory payment or all the taxes
charged would be conflscation OF the mn
value CT the property. The tax books sbOnld in
SOihe way te relieved IRON these and other
charges, when are put down as valuable aseafs
1hey can never be realized. | further REGAIN
mend that law be passed similar to that Of
$40. including parsonages by name, G. property
appuTfenant thereto, iic2lt1tf;q D0rsOn1GeS
and used In connection therewiJh,'D In the
numter OF exemptions"
OF DELINQUENT TAXES
the report says: THE extension OF the pro.
visions OF the act OF June q, 1853, 10 JANUARY
next has been and will be a great boon to our
delinquent tax pay ers who, ia almost all cases
are delinquent from necessity. and not from
cfolce. i recommend that the discount for
prompt payment OF taxes may be continued at
per cert for November payments 4 per cent for
Dec mber. per cent for January per cent Tor
February and per cent for March, Charging
no penalty land not more than ! Der cent Der
month"; until May, when the second inSfallmeut
is pay able. and that the interest be only per
cent per annum on al taxes after they are
advertised ior sale. All who are able to paw
VIII avall themselves OF this privilege and those
VINO cannot ought Lot to be charged SO eXorbl-
tahIy ior their misfortunes as is now done
thoef The present law.'i
=, of CORRECTIONS OF ERRORS OF ASSESSMENT
tAe report says: The Commissioner, onghr 70
pe empowered TO correct errors fitscovarat On
in rbr