The San Francisco call., 1895-11-16
LANDOWNERS IN DANGER
The City Is a Worse Usurer
Than the Old Tax-Title
Shark.
IGNORANT OF THE NEW LAW.
Auditor Snow Makes Remarks That
Are of Vital Interest to All
Taxpayers.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL J

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
90S Broadway, Nov. 15 {
1t is evident that nearly every tax
payer in California is laboring under de-
lusion regarding the new laws relating to
the sale of delinquent taxes. The slow
ness with which taxes are being paid In
Oakland, Notwithstanding that the levy is
the lowest for years, caused Auditor Snow
to make an investigation, and he is per-
fectly satisfied that very few taxpayers are
acquainted with the new law now in
force.
~ could not help being surprised" said
the Auditor to-day, "at the slowness with
which taxes are coming int the treasury.
| knew there must be something that was
not aware OF operating in favor of slow
payments, and | commenced to investi-
gate. Then / found that very few if any
of the tax payers had read the new law.
The first part of the act provides that the
property is safe to the owner for at lea st
five years, but the penalties for the de-
Gnquencies are very little known. 1t is
very dangerous for taxpayers to postpone
the payment of their taxes with the idea
that they are thereby safe.
"The city is worse tax-shark than any
of the old title-buyers ever were.
""Under the old law the landowner was
protected by law for two years, but after
that he was at the mercy of the taX-shark.
Under the new law the city buys the land
for delinquent taxes and hold them for five
years, at the end of which time the munich
pality can take possession. During those
five years, however, the penalties increase
TO fearful amount and the taxpayers
cannot too clearly understand this fact.
Il have made a calculation and | find
:, t.,,-
five years amount to $251 55. This does
not include the taxes for the four interven-
ing years, but it is simply one years de-
linQuency only. With the intervening
penalties the property would nearly be
consumed by costs and taxes. The knowl-
edge that the property is safe for five years
is causing the dilatory taxpayer to be more
dilatory, but it is false feeling of Sc
curity.
The new system is beautiful in theory,
but faulty in practice. The Auditor issues
warrants each year for the full amount of
| the tax levy, and does not anticipate any
delinquency, consequently every dollar
| that is delinquent is that much debt car
| ried by the city to her contractors. They
have no redress. except to file their war
rants and wait five years for the city to
sell the property. To take an extreme
view of the situation, we may see the city
! every year after the first five from the pas
! sage OF the law, with thousands of dollars
worth of warrants on one hand, and with
numerous parcels of land to which she has
acquired title on the other. Then she
would have to hold real estate auction to
pay her debts.
Tine system is impracticable, and as it is
now being severely tested its weak places
are becoming more and more apparent.
In company with officials in many parts of
the State | think the next Legislature will
materially alter the present act.
Il will give just one instance of its in
justice. The gas company filed warrant
for $4,000 after the treasury for the last fis-
cal year was empty They, will have to
wait probably for five years before they re-.
ceive the whole of their money, as their
bill can only be paid out of the delinquent
taxes for the last year. This is not busi-
nesslike way of handling the city govern
ment and l do not think it will stand.''