Telegram-herald., 1891-09-03
ATTACHING THE BLAME
The City Pays . Large Amount Of
Money for Interest
1 RESULT OF DELAYED ASSESSMENTS
Optnisns ef the City Treasurer. the Cisy
Attorney and Other Omciats. as 70
the Causes and the Renssdy
90 be Applied.

ment rolls for the different improve
ments. the city had TO pay. during the
month OF August, SS22.22, and for the
month of July, $685.. There is scarcely
a month in the year in which smaller
amount 10 not paid. For this sum Of
money the city receives no earthly
benefit. In . year the total looms up
quite large. Who Is responsible for
this. The TELEaRAM-H HERALD eadeav-
ored TO ASCERTAIN yesterday, but IN
measure was unable TO do 80. There n
q conflict of opinions in regard 10 the
question, though nearly every Official
body has = remedy To suggest, which,
if applied. would eradicate the diff
Guilty.
Treasurer Hake raid: .There has
been considerable delay in many of
the assessment rolls. and all of these
delays cost the city money. l attribute
this 10 the regular summer ennue
which seems to take possession of the
people. Some 60 TO resorts and on
account of their absence from the city
fail to pay their assessment when it is
due. After the expiration of a certain
length of time interest 10 charged up to
the delinquents. Men will come in and
want an extension Of time, eaying that
their partner Is out of the city and that
they cannot raise the amount until he
returns. Then again there is much
time wasted in laying the districts so
that the hoard OF equalization can
spread the taxes thereon. l do not
know just who is to blame. l have
been stirring the council up Of late and
expect to sec an alteration made"
The City Attorneys Opinion.
City Attorney Taylor: I'm regard
to that question there are many good
reasons, but l think the chief cause
arises from the fact that the prelmi-
nary steps in deciding upon . district
are not made long enough in advance
of the time when the work isdone. There
are instances where district is re-
ported, the contract let and the appor-
tionment made after the work is COM
pleted. In case of that kind the city
has to pay for all delays. Take it
where the work is finished, say today,
and the taxes spread next week by the
Board of Equalization. 1t is advertised
that the roll will be in the hands of the
board one week. during wfice time the
property owners can make their APP
peale. If there are one or two appeals
the roll is referred 70 o committee of
the council. One week is taken 10 i'm
vestigate, A moderation is made. Un-
der this change another man makes an
appeal and 90 it goes until months
have been consumed. After tho con-
tract has been finished three months,
the bill draws interest and that is
where the city gets the worst of 1t.
Just how TO overcome this has been
agitating the minds of several Of the
council and myself for some time and
the conclusion arrived at is that q plan
must be submitted whereby all of thsse
kicks can be made before there is any
money due contractors. OF course
this could be done. The assessments
could be collected before spade hae
been touched to the street. The alder.
men in each ward can consult with
their constituents and divide what i'm
provements are necessary for the COM
ing year. After this has been accom-
plished. estimates can be made or bids
advertised for. When the lowest bid
has been determined upon, the roll can
be made out. Before the contract has
been signed the appeals can be entered,
investigated and passed upon. think
q scheme similar to this would adjust
the matter and save the city . great
deal of money.
How Have the Mighty Fallen.
President DAVIS of the Board of Pub
lie Works: 1.-The board is not in any
sense responsible for these delays.
When the council orders us to go
ahead, We 20, and when it says stop,
We STOP"
Secretary Sullivan, of the Board of
EQUALIZATION: "This board Is not res
ponsible for delays. The clerical force
here is sufficient and tho rolls arc per-
fected just as soon ~ the board il or
dered to do the wayk. l think the
trouble emanates from the manner in
which the cauncil acts. There are ais-
tricts here IN this office which have
grown musty with age. They should
have been reported upon long ago, but
instead OF that many new districts
have proceeded them. That is no fault
of ours. We spread from two 10 four
rolls each week, and can keep up with
the business a. fast - il comes."
NJ. ]. Ulrich, of the Board of Equal
izatlon: "It is frequently the caee
that districts are determined upon soon
enough. just as soon a. the board 10
ordered by the council TO spread the
taxes the work 10 commenced.
A Common Mssupdsrssandisg.
A great many people think that prop
eriy is assessed according ~ the num-
her of feet front. But il 10 just the
contrary. Property owners pay for
improvements according TO the benefit
which they derive. This occasions q
great deal OF Misunderstanding and il
the direct cause Of many of the appeals
being made. To show you that this
board 10 not to blame. will mention
West Fuiton-ss. The cost of improving
that thoroughfare WAS &c. 500. The
roll was in the hands OF The council
four weeks and then reported without
any chanees- There 10 another thing
which takes up time. We take the ab-
attracts Of property along . street and
make our assessments from them. In
the meantime two or three parcels have
changed hands,"
Alderman Stern: ri can explain that
very easily. II is because the alder
men in the various wArds do not file
their orders to have the Assessments
spread early enough. In the first ward
there have been no delays onte5de Of
those which were unavoidable. Tbie 10
due to the fact that in my ward the
precaution bas always been taken 70
make the initial movement early
enough. OskiandAve.. u the ouly
thorouehfAre upon which there has
been anv delay and there will he law