The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-01-02
RRouiid Tie Collection Collection III III Taxes Taxes ~ 4
County Treasurer he of Advantage to
Taxpayers!

to collect and disburse the taxes of the county
me subject was considered in all its bearings and
vote being taken, showed II opposed to and 10 in
favor Of County Treasurer ~ y
The, question was: "would the collection Of,
the taxpayers Of Hartford county?"
MrAllen said he was satisfied It would be of adj
vantage want You could get good man for 5000
County Commissioners, and the county would
thereby save the Clerks salary of $500 a year,
Treasurer only s., 200 We pay now an average of
per cent for collecting the taxes. by the Treas
amount would also be saved by doing away with
the appointment of unfit collectors. Anotherad-
yai,ntaee would be the convenience of collecting
DIS against the county. You would always know
where TO ind the Treasurer but the collectors
now are hard to find. The appointment of a
soners Of the responsibility of approving so many
bonds. They, would also be more careful in APP
proving the Treasurers bond than they now are
in approving the collectors bonds.
Mr.. Allen $ plan would be to have the taxes due
on Inc Isl OF January, us now. There should be
time. After the LIST of January let the bills run
two months on interest and if not paid by the LIST
lection. 1t would not be any hardship to compel
q man to pay his taxes once every year, provided
these payments were l2months apart. Ifaperson
can not pay taxes on his property, it ought to be
him.
James II. Ball said he would like Mr.. Aliens
mode, provided the Treasurer were made respon-
sible for the money while he has it. The plan
would require every man togo to the centre of the
county at 4 certain time to pay his taxes but if
the taxes were paid at stated time there would be
more CONFIDENCE in the public business
Christopher Wilson said that in Illinois, where he
had been living, property is assessed annually
Taxes are due January LIST. If not paid by the 18th
Of March the personal property is seized and sold
to pay them. There are collectors in each district
Or township as in Hartford Real estate is sold for
taxes OF the past year in June. The owner has IL
islere are always present land sharks who buy the
property and then charge the owner double to re-
deem it. re was glad to see tho club taking the
subject of taxes into consideration. Taxation in
terests everybody. In his opinion county Treas
urer would be OF advantage, because lie thought
it would tighten the taxes. Taxation is debt that
none can escape, and If compelled to pay by a GER
tain time the tax bill would be regarded like note
in bank.
Johns H. Janney thought the people could get
along better by paying their taxes to a Treasurer
themselves instead of to collectors. He alluded to
discounts are allowed for prompt payment and
thought it would work here: He also thought
there should be three Commissioners instead Of
I'VE. Low taxes wouldincrcase the value of prop
erty in the county, and he had no doubt the taxes
could be collected more cheaply than they are,
either hya Treasurer or by one tax gathcrer at
some central office.
Albert Holloway favored Mr. Aliens views, and
thought the taxes could be curtailed considerably
Thomas Lochary also agreed with Mr.. Allen and
could not add anything or take any exception to
what Mr. Allen had said
Isaac Wilson said the taxes are collected much
cheaper than they formerly WERE but we ought
TO have better system. Mr. Wilson said he did
s. d. Silver said there ought to be one collector
or Treasurer for the whole county, in Bel Air
Taxes say for 1SSO ought to be now in hand to pay
all the county expenses. The county ought not
ask any man to wait for his bill The taxes should
all he paid three months after they were due, and
which to pay debts.
James Lee said from hat he had heard he was
in favor of Il Treasurer, and thought a change of
some kind should be made.
Mr.. Ball suggested that if taxes were collected
from central office there would he no additions
tome assessabe basis from Improvements in prop
Mr.. Allen thought that in addition To the Treas
lrer II might he advisable 10 appoint some one to
make assessments. The greatest advantage of a
Treasurer would he its convenience for per-
sons collecting bills from the county. The reduc
ton Of expenses would not be felt.
IL. John rogers said he was at one time in favor
OF County Treasurer. but now he is opposed to
it. Some persons say the taxes are collected too
cheapy now, but he did not think they are. Men
are willing to collect them at the present rates and
give good and sufficient bond. If there are any
sioners in accepting worthless bonds. One man
c9uid not collect the taxes of Hartford county,
WIN in reasnrfr there s would be large amount
more money in the end than it does now. The
Treasurer system would put all the money of the
county into the hands of one man instead of five.
The bond would necessarily be very large and
man who could give such bond would expect a
large salary. Besides a great amount of property
would go untaxed and if you employed some one
to make assessments that would be additional eX-
pense. He preferred the present system. In the
=.
unfrequcntly happens that a Treasurer fills his
pockets, and runs on, leaving his securities to
full in taking bonds of collectors not one cent need
be lost by the present system.
Mr.. Allen remarked that the additional cost
would fall upon the delinquent taxpayers.
Mr. Moores said ii IL the taxpayers that we want
TO benefit, and the majority Of them are poor.
David Price expressed himself in favor of a
George E. Silver agreed with Mr.. Rogers. A
year or two ago he believed II Treasurer would be
phanDpl ind EaY thn ua,,-I
eral good of the people the present system Is best
great deal of trouble with it lies with the Com
missioners, who are not always careful enough in
selecting bonds for the collectors. The expense
OF collecting taxes by Treasurer would be greater
than 1t is now and 1t would be harder on the peo-
ii. NJ. Whiteford said he would favor anything
IN the way or Improvement but was not in
favor of a County Treasurer. In the first place
you would have to erect suitable building in Bel
Air for the Treasurers office. Then it would take
two or three assistants to do the work, AS the time
drew near when the discounts would cease there
would be such Il rush that people could not be
waited on Many, persons do not go to the county
they may not have the money to pay their taxes.
Ii man rode to Bel Air to pay his taxes it would
cost MN from % to % cents for his dinner 20 cents
for horse feed to say nothing of other expenses he
might incur. Treasurer would make more tax
on the poor man. In the matter of assessments
of new property you would be compelled 10 have
men scattered overthe county and they would not
have as good an opportunity us the collectors have
to find new property for assessment. AS, for de-
linquent tax collectors we may lose more heavily
by Il Treasurer than we ever have by collectors
The Treasurer might have II nice pile and pull out,
orgo to stock gambling, as Others have done. The
collectors never have so much on hand as Il Treas
urer has. You have the same chance of getting
good bonds for collector as for Treasurer.
David E. Wilson had not fully made up his mind
which plan would work best.
John Moores was decidedly opposed to Treas
urer. He had not supposed there were more than
six men in the county in favorpf Treasurer, and
they were the candidates, for the office and the
printers. Ihrce-tourths OF the taxes are paid by
nppnlp IN
pointed stated times during which deductions
would be allowed on tax bills one.fourth of the
taxpayers would take advantage of it. Thus three
fourths OF the money paid in taxes would be taken
out OF circulation. No money Is needed until the
Isl of January. 1t costs only $500 TO collect the
SsO,OOO levied for county expenses The collectors
give bond rdoublc the amount they have to col
lcct. Ii they turn out to be defaqlters and the |
county suffers loss il is clearly the fault of the
County commissioners in taking the bonds. The |
uaxdbfe basis ought to be and could be increased
annually 500 900 by good collectors This amount |
has been added and it could be done again. 1t is |
the duty of collectors to know what everytaxpay-
err is assessed with and ascertain If farmers have
increased their stock or erected new buildings.
County Treasurer could not do that. We ought |
to have first-class men for County Commissioners.
Then we would get iirst-class men for collectors.
The collector is the disbursing officer. He comes
to every man door. No simpler or more conven-
lent system could he devised. II you make a
Treasurer you will make an autocrat He will |
issue his edct and we will be compelled to obey.
Under the present system the money for taxes is
kept in circulation until it is needed. We don't
want the money locked up in Bel Air. AS for
sending money by neighhorS that is not business.
The salary of the Treasurer would be large and
Mr.. Moorcs thought il il better to divide that
amount between five men instead of giving it to
one. H any change is 10 be made he would sug-
gcst allowing the collectors per cent. You could
get good men for that amount. Then allow the |
Commissioner making the appointment to coupon
the collectors bond.
Mr.. Allen thought il was not neces sary for the
Treasurers bond to be double the amount of taxes
collected. He should be compelled TO pay out con-
stantly and would not havc much on hand at a
time,
Benjamin Silver said we had a very good system
but 1t is badly carried out. The Commissioners
should examine the bids and bonds and their attor
ney should look the record to see if the bond
is good. If the bond of the lowest bidder was not
sufficient, take the next higher. 1t is not good
plan to have the collectors appointed by the Com
missiOners. II gives them chance to sol out the