The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-09
PAYMENT OF TAXES.
The Pending Bill Made Applica-
BILE TO This City.
An Important Conference at Which Amend
ments Are Decided Upon = Three In
stallments Provided For.

Yesterday at noon there was conference
held at the office of Mayor Sanderson on
the subject of tax collections on real estate
IN this city, IL was called TO see what
could be done to modify the Phillips in
stallment plan, recently introduced in the
LEGISLATURE There were present Mayor
Sanderson, Tax Collector Thomas OBrien,
his chief deputy, James McCabe. Auditor
David Stern, Deputy Auditor Hiram Cook,
Deputy Assessor Daniel j. Malorey. Sup
ervsorS Ellert and j. W. Burling, and l.. A
Phillips of the Forty-second District, the
father of the bill.
Tax Collector O'Brien explained that the
bill had been clamOred for by the public,
but that he thought it would result in greater
losses to the city in the number of deinqu-
ents than at present. He said that the in
stallment plan, which is allowed in the pay
ment of personal taxes, had proved fail
ure. in part on account Of the public think
ing that the whole tax is paid, when in fact
only the first installment had beer reached.
This made the second payment in many
cases come on the list of delinQuencles, and
large loss to the city always resulted.
A PRACTICAL LAW WANTED.
GAS soon as l saw the public were bound
to have such law passed" he continued,
my chief deputy and ! consulted with Mr..
Phillips on the subject, in order to make the
law as nearly as possible q practicable and
working one, and together we agreed upon
its outlines in general, and upon the times
when the payments should fall due and
when they should be declared delinquent.
Mr.. Phillips then went before the Leglsla-
ture with the bill and the judiciary COM
mittee adopted it as a substitute for all
bills on the subject, but the COMMITTEES
amended it to comply with the wishes of
the members from the interior districts.
l.. A. Phillips explained that the bill was
changed more on the suggestion of the mem
bers from the southern part of the State.
who urged the times of harvesting and sales
OF produce Tor the necessity of a change in
time when the instalments should fall due.
One of them declared the taxes of San Luis
DbiSpo County to be $3.50, 600. while the
money in the banks is seldom more than
100000, and to pay their taxes at other
times than when produce Is sold will compel
them 10 draw on San Francisco banks,
which will make money too tight for them.
The bill was then changed to make the first
instailment fall due on the first Monday in
october and delinquent on the last Monday
in November, aud the second installment
due on the first Monday in December and
delinquent the last Monday of April.
UTTERLY INADEQUATE.
sit is that arrangement we oppose" said
the Tax Collector. by that arrangement
the delinquent list cannot be made up be-
y
June. 1t may be all right for country places
or small interior cities where two or three
sheets are enough for the lists of delin-
Quents, but here. where l2e are necessary,
such short time is utterly inadequate To
the task | am in favor of having the bill
either modified to exclude this city from lis
effects, If that can be done legally, or to 20
back 10 the arrangement we agreed upon,
which was embodied in the original bill"
With a remarkable unanimitv every off
ri nrpSpnr opTpPn with MIR Gkripu u tho
steps necessary to be taken to save the city
from what they characterized as a law not
fitted for q METROPOLIS, and committee
composed of Messrs. McCabe. Cook and
MalOney was appointed to confer with L. A.
Phillips on the necessary bill or resolutions
to pass, and they were instructed TO report
back az O'Clock in the evening.
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE.
The committee submitted II report at the
evening session, and certain clauses were
presented for the purpose of making the pro-
posed law applicable to San Francisco.
After an hours di scussiOn it was decided to
make the following recommendations as
amendments to the Dill:
On real-estate taxes the first installment
shall be due and pay able on the first Mon
day in October and delinquent on the last
Monday in November. The second INSTALL
ment shall be due on the first Monday in
January and delinquent on the first Monday
IN February; the delinquent list to be pub
the sale of property upon which taxes re-
main unpaid to take place in May BY
provision in the bill, however, both INSTALL
ments may be paid when the first becomes
due.
The bill does not change the present time
for the collection of city and county person.
al property taxes, which are due on the sec
ond Monday in July and become delinquent
on the first Monday in August. If the bill
becomes a law taxes in first-class cities may
be paid in three distinct inSta llments.
IN THE INTERIOR.
In the country and cities of the second
class the bill provides for the payment of
taxes as follows The first installment be-
comes due on the first Monday in November
and delinquent on the last Monday of the
same month; the second inStallment is due
on the first Monday in January and deln-
quent on the first Monday in April.
The bill comes up for the second reading
some time this week, when Mr. Phillips will
submit the amendments agreed upon during
the conference yesterday.
Asked his opinion as to what would be the
result in this city if the bill became law,
Tax Collector O'Brien said last night that it
would involve the employment of a much
larger force in his office. The increase Of
salaries and printing would cause the city
an additional expenditure of about SIC, 900
yearly.