Evening star., 1894-02-09
TAXES AND TAX SALES
The senste District Committee Today
Discusses An Important Bill
ReeOmnitteA for Further Considera.
tiOn - Mr.. Faulkner Thinks 1t an
Admirable Measure.

The Senate District committee held an
over two hours. during which bill No. 1OO8.
IN relation to taxes and tax sales in the
District, was fairly discussed. This bill
was introduced by Senator Harris on the
9th Of September last and since then has
besn under consideration by q subcom-
mittee, Of which Senator Faulkner is chair
man.
A number Of amendments were adopted
today looking to a more systematic, more
liberal and yet mere efficient method Of
collecting taxes than has been In vogue in
the District in past years. There were so
many Of these amendments that Senator
Faulkner was directed to report the bill
with amendments to the Senate as soon
as possible and secure an order that it be
printed and recommitted 80 that the men,
bers Of the committee as well as the COM
m!ssioners may be able to scrutinize 1t
intelligently.
Senator Faulkner said TO a Star reporter
after the meeting: Il think that the amend
ment which we adopted this morning will
tend to make the system more effective and
Just, both to the property owner and to the
District. Some of the suggestions of the
attorney for the District embodied in the
first draft of the bill We're entirely unac-
ceptable to the District committee. One Of
by one person and assessed in the name OF
another could be sold for taxes, without
reference to the real owner. This seems 20
be unjust and the committee amended the
bill in that particular. According to the bill
as amended the purchaser Of property under
tax sale will secure only such title as
was held by the delinquent owner. For In
stance, II the-e was "a reminder interest to
the property, the purchaser under the tax
sale would only secure life interest in
stead Of a fee simple. as he might secure
under the existing law. This viii preserve
the rights of those with reversionary inter-
est In the property"
Sale of Delinquent Property.
Another amendment adopted by the COM
mittee will. 1 think. greatly simplify and
expedite the process Of selling delinquent
property. Under the present law the Dis
trict is obliged to buy any property put
up at tax sale or which cannot secure a
bid at least equal to the taxes and the
costs. This necessitates filing a bill in the
Court of Equity, and 1t is we'll known
that this court is SO crowded that it is
Utterly impossible for the District to get
all Of these cases disposed Of. Then too
the property lies idle and yields no taxes so
long as 1t Is vested in the District. The
amendment provides that when these con-
ditfons occur the Commissioners snail trans
fer the property to the assessor of the Dis
trict. who shall within a year. dispose Of
the property at auction or at 2 private sale
as he may see Mt.
This gives the District a year in which to
dispose Of such property without cucumber
ing the court with useless petitions The
theory OF taxation does not contemplate the
government owning any more property
than Is absolutely necessary. 1t is advis-
able for the government as soon as the tax
owner becomes delinquent to take the prop
erty from him and to place it in the hands
Of some desirable citizen who can be de-
pended upon to pay its assessments.
think that the new system will do more
to put all the land OF the District on a
profitable basis than anything that has ever
been accomplished before.
Owner to he Notified.
Still another amendment gives the de-
linquent owner one more chance to regain
his property after it has been sold for
taxes. This amendment provides that each
purchaser under tax sale shall. six months
before he places his deed on record make a
written statement to the delinquent owner
or to others with the reversionary or other
interests in the property. Of the amount
paid by him for the property Including the
costs, with so per cent added thereto and
shall offer him the property at the price of
the total sum. The former owner will thus
have six months in which to secure his
property before it absolutely passes out OF
his hands.
1t also enables the purchaser to make a
proht OF % per cent upon his investment
ara SO encourages men of capital to become
purchasers under tax sales. There are at
present no Inducements whatever to this
end. consider the bill to be now amended
SO that II is the best measure that has
ever been put forward. 1t Is of such high
Importance. however, that We do not want
II to pass out of our hands until it shall
have been made as near perfect as we can
make it,
The committee also took action on the bill
No., 1907, and directed Senator Gibson to
report favorably to the Senate This bill
is for the appointment Of deputy coroner
senator Gibson was directed to make an ad-
verse report upon bill 1913 vesting in the
judges of the Court of Appeals Of the Dis
trict authority to appoint the coroner of
the District.