St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-08
A CORRECTION NEEDED.
According to Calderwood's Idea the
Present Taxation Is Unjust.
A PRACTICAL REFORM.
Taxing Chattel Mortnages--Other Plans
to Increase the Revenue Con-
sidered.
PRACTICAL REFORM.


the council yesterday morning with,
"Say. fellows do any Of you remember
what was the matter to come under dis
cussion this morning?"
There were four aldermen and five
reporters present. The four gentlemen
had been setting around the big table
upon which their feet rested gracefully
and roasting, with straight language,
the board of trade, as they leisurely
puffed their cigars, and none of them
were just on hand with the special bus
mess. Finally Aid. Durham an
swered:
IL guess it's to look into the matter of
taxing personal property, chattei mort
cages. etc"
The talk drifted down to the conclu-
sion that the assessor might, ac-
cording to the present laws. assess
personal property for its full valuation:
Assessor Case was called in. and showed
that he did assess personal property ac-
c0rding to his own judgment OF its
value. He gave an instance that hap
pened the day before. in which gentle
man living in house worth at least
$4,000 had given in the value of his
furniture two horses, tHO carriages,
watches and jewelry at $3.50. The as
SCISSOR had set the value at 81 200, and
the citizen had come to the assessor eX-
ceeding wroth that his valuation had
been changed. As the committee com-
mented on the property owners little
ness, Aid. Braddish capped the climax
with:
''He probably was member of the
board of trade, wasn't he?"
Chairman Downs and others then re-
lated stories of conflicting assessments,
and with them of young wife OF Min
neapolis who gave the valuation of their
household equipments at an eXtrava-
giant price. and then the committee dis
cussed whether wOman'S word should
be taken, and Assessor Case said that 1T
was not.
Comptroller Calderwood was called
OH to report of a matter of interest, and
read the following:
Council Here semDled-Gentlemen Being
one of the survivors, and on the side of VIC
tory. in that great battle of retrenchment
and reform, fought on the 9th day OF last
your honorable body, not to all increase or
decrease in salary, but to an important mat
ter of retrenchment and reform.
My position as comptroller has probably
given NE a better opportunity of seeing the
necessity of reform in our present system OF
assessment for public improvements than
many of you here assembled. Our present
system is very imperfect and i'll many cases
unjust. In city chat is growing as rapidly
as ours and where q demand for public i'm
provements is so great. and the rate of taxa
ton high, it is ali injustice and hardship to
the taxpayers to compel them to pay for i'm
provements which are not made for two,
three and four years after the tax has been
&c. AZ,
never made; and not only this,
but oblige the wrong taxpayer. to
place the collection of this rebate which
the city should never have assessed, IN the
hands of collection agency with commits
sion of 25 per cent for making the collection.
This, gentlemen, is not only reflection on
our system of public works, but greater
reflection on our credit by compelling tax
payers to pay commission so large for col
lecting debt against the city.
would ask the gentlemen here assembled
that they appoint a committee, which shall
include as one of its members our able city
engineer, Andrew Rinker, upon whose de-
partmeut wish to be understood as casting
no reflection. who shall investigate this mat
ter and resent to the next meeting of the
city council a resolution that will correct
this growing evil. This will be in the line of
practical reform and retrenchment that will
be appreciated by thousands of taxpayers
through the city. Yours very truly,
j. f. CALDERwooD.
1t was moved that committee Of
three be appointed to investigate the
matter. including Engineer Rinker.
The committee as appointed consisted
Of Aids. Braddish. Sterling and Cole.
The motion was carried that the COM
mittee recommend to the council the
amendment of the law in regard to the
taxation of bank property and make the
undivided profits taxable as well as the
surplus.
Another recommendation of import
ance was that the city charter be SO
amended as to have the council fill va
cancies in the Offices of comptroller,
treasurer. cOunselors, mayor and all
city offices rather than have special
elections for the purpose, thus saving
great expense.
1t was moved also during the course
of the meeting that the tax law be so
amended as to require the city and town
clerks to furnish assessors with lists OF
chattel mortgages, also that it require
the building and loan associations to
furnish lists of their paid up stock.
A matter OF some moment was pend
ing in which the presence Of City At
torney Russell was desired so the COM
mittee took a recess awaiting his ar
rival on coming together again it was
an executive session.
At the executive session the commit
tee discussed the question of reduction
of the number of aldermen. After
considerable discussion the motion was
carried that the committee recommend
that the number of aldermen be reduced
to two from each ward. This change in
the number contemplated is to take
effect at the end of the present councils
term of Office. There will be special
meeting of the council to-day at p. IN.
to consider the recommendations Of the
legislative committee.