St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-05
HOW TO KEEP BOOKS.
Assistant City Engineer Hun
treSs Lectures the Mu-
nicipality.
Reforms in Bookkeeping
Which He Wants the
City to Adopt.
One Indictment for Election
Crookedness Is Said to
Exist.
Chase & Park Reply to Mr..
Howard On Butter---Dis-
tpict Court

Assistant City Engineer charles o.
Huntress read not only an interesting,
but very Important paper last evening
before the Engineers club in the Ii
brary building. The paper treated of
Municipal bookkeeping" in respect of
the method now in use by the munich
patty OF Minneapolis in levying and col
lecting its regular and special taxes.
Mr. HuntresS' effort is not the first that
that has. of late years, been made look
ing TO reformation of and revolution
in the present system OF taxation and IFS
collection. The local press. financiers
and city officials have from time to time
endeavored to correct and improve the
methods now in vogue, but, with indif-
ferent exception, no practical results
have ensued from such endeavorS. Gen
uine interest was awakened last
evening by the reading of Mr.. Hunt
reSS paper and the city officials
and scientific gentlemen present who
entered into its discussion and the con-
sideratiOn of questions that grow out of
il. were united in the belief that rad-
zeal change is necessary in the control
of the city'S affair in so tar as its taxes
are concerned.
Mr.. Huntress began his address by
quoting an editorial published in the
: minneapolis Times of September 81,
1890, under the caption Of "RefOrm I'M
peratiyely Demanded" The editorial,
after emunerating the different sources
from which the city derives its income,
showing that nearly every one Of its de-
partments collects taxes, and that such
q system could result in nothing save
lNot .r.l ~; inn,
tons in the conduct of its business.
took the ground that the city treasurer
should collect and pay out all taxes.
Mr.. HuntreSS reviewed the Times edi-
torial at length, but could not agree
with it in detail, nor with the con-
clusiou. He explained that the working
of the present system i'll the auditors
office. in the treasurer's office, ami III
the office of the city engineer. He de-
cried the system at making special as
SeSSmentS before the improvements
were completed. and attributed the
large amount of rebate the city is
forced to annually make in that regard
to it. He dwelt at length upon the
evils growing out of the revolving fund
plan. A system that deprived the city
of the use of its money from the time 1t
is collected to the time of its deposit in
the county treasury was not good
one. Mr.. HuntreSS' arguments may be
summed up in the following paragraphs,
and in them also may be fOuni the
remedies he offered to bring about
decided change in the levying ana col
lection of the city'S taxes:
Make improvements before assessing
them.
Make assessments Immediately after
the completion of piece OF work and
collect the same within sixty days
Make said taxes delinquent at the end
of sixty days from the time of levying
them and add penalty for hOn-pay-
ment of said taxes within the time
specified.
Have the taxes collected by the county
treasurer, who shall turn over the funds
so collected every week Of every month
to the city treasurer.
When the county auditor receives any
call for special assessments let him Serve
personal notice on all property owners
of the assessment.
In those assessments falling under
the revolying-fund plan make it op-
tional with the taxpayer to pay the
whole tax or to pay it in five yearly in
StallmentS, with interest, as he may
elect.
When the yearly tax list is prepared
taxes remaining unpaid, together with
accrued penalties.
Establish between the city comp
troller and county auditor simple but
perfect system or accounting TO insure
the correct collection and return of
special taxes.
Auditor Condit thought the auditor
should be the bookkeeper, and the treas
urer the cashier in the matter of collect
ing taxes. He regarded such move
ment as the basis on which to build all
effeetuaf reform. The tax lists should
at all times pc in the possession OF the
auditor. He prepares it in every way,
save making the valuations, and that is
done by the assessors. Collection of
special assessments by personal notices
he thought would prove a big and vexa-
tiouS undertaking. AS MANY as twenty
different notices would have to be sent
Old an average to each property owner
Engineer Rlmker, Single Tax Bu-l
and several other gentlemen discussed
the subject in its various branches.
President Pike, of the university, pre-
sided at the meeting.