The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-07
Much Trouble and Expense
Caused by the New
Tax Law.
TARDY AID FROM THE STATE.
The Board OF Equalization to Sup
ply the Means of Col
lection.


doubly perplexing to Supervisors Taylor,
Hobbs and Benjamin, the City financial
committee, by the new revenue law which
Governor Budd signed on March %. This
law consists of long series of amend
ments to the Political Code of 1872 and its
effect is to place the City and County Of
San Francisco in the same category as
other counties. Its aim is to prevent the
loss of taxes upon unsecured personal
property; and the duty of collecting this
tax is imposed upon the Assessor, who is
supposed to have it done before next
August.
But what makes the law bane at pres
ent instead of the boon intended to AS
SCISSOR Siebe. Treasurer Widber, Tax Col
lector Block, Auditor Broderick and the
Finance Committee is the fact that its oper-
alton practically limits the City's pecuni-
airy resources to whatever Mr.. Siebe can
scrape together from this source between
now and the end of July, for until Mr..
Block makes his returns there will be very
little else, say the City officials, to depend
upon. The very elusive character of this
unsecured personal property, providing as
it did a reason for the new law, is not
very reassuring to the Treasurer.
Heretofore the Tax Collectors office
usually gathered about $4,000 on about
sos, 000, 900 worth of personal property dur
ing July, and thus was ready cash fur
nished to meet the demands upon the ex-
chequer, but all that is changed now, says
Mr. Siebe, and nothing may be looked for
from Mr.. Block until about October. More
over, Mr.. Siebe explained yesterday after
noon that the operation of the new law
will result in putting the City to an addi-
tional expense OF something like $40, 600 to
collect the uncertain taxes upon personal
property which is not backed up by real
estate, and an extra force OF about 200
deputies will be needed. He observed with
some warmth:
1t never was intended that the law should go
into effect until next year, but some smart fell
low tackled on an amendment, making it oper-
alive this year, and the bill thus amended was
put through in the rush.
By the requirements the Assessor was eX-
Peeted TO start out the first week in March to
list this unsecured personal property, but the
law was not signed until March %. We didn't
get copy OF il until the State Board of Equal
tzation sent us one on April IA, and 1t was only
last Friday that We got any books from the Au-
ditor.
OF course we were proceeding under the old
law, not being able to do anything else, and
now we have got to do all our work over again.
| Our statements were nearly all completed, but
under this law We must have new books en-
tirely and so we will have to begin all over
again.
| The condition of affairs, therefore. which
confronted the State Board of Equaliza-
ton, when it met in this City yesterday, on
its tour of the State invited immediate ac-
| ton. The law is imperative, yet there was
! the Assessors Office still without the legal
means of assessment and collection. Ex-
| plantations were naturally in order.
| State Controller e. 2. UoIgan, Messrs.
| Chesebrough, Beamer, Morehouse and
Radcliffe of the board, City Attorney
Creswell and the Finance Committee of the
| Board of Supervisors, met together at the
Lick House little before noon, and talked
matters over. Their conclusion was that
there was only one thing to be done and
that was to have the State Board of Equal
ization at once supply Assessor Siebe with
books upon his requisition being made.
Section 1904 of the law SO provides for
this emergency in case the Board of Super
visors fails or refuses to furnish the books.
The board was informed that the Super
visors had ne money to expend in that
| way, hence the conclusion.
During the afternoon Controller Colgan
and the Board of Equalization met in As
SCISSOR Siebe's private room at the City
Hall, and subsequently conferred with
Auditor BToderick. Mr.. Siebe submitted
a written application for the books pro
forma, and the board promised to supply
them at once.
''It is not pleasant to contemplate" Mr..
Siebe remarked after the board retired,
''but the fact remains, nevertheless, that
Notwithstanding the bungle this new law
is responsible for and the delay we have
suffered in the matter of obtaining the
legal means, the Assessor and his bonds
men are made answerable for any failure
to collect these taxes"
Section 800 is the one making all the
trouble. Omitting some unimportant
parts. it reads thus:
The Assessor or his deputies must, before the
LIST of June of each year, in each OF the coun-
ties and cities and counties, visit each house
and place of business in their districts and en-
roll in a field enrollment-book, in such form as
may be required by the State Board of Equali-
cation, all male persons residing in said county
over Is years of age and under 80 years on the
first Monday in March in that year. In such
field enrolment beck shall be stated
whether the person enrolled is liable
to State polltax, road polltax or military
duty; give the number of the full tax receipt
and the amount paid, if polltaxes are collected;
where his residence is; postoffice address, Civ
gEA