San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-06-08
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.

Il taxes WAS COV6U6u pTlNlleB0 lTOm
the rush and push at the city COL
lector's office during the past two
| weeks.
The Office Is one of the most I'M
comfortably situated rooms In the
building, being cut of from all
breeze and exposed to the after
noon sun, and on the third floor.
The aged taxpayers who rush
up to pour into the city rat hole
stream Of money deserve every
convenience possible, and the city
council should see how they can
remedy the present condition of
affairs.
The work OF the collectors Office
has increased largely since the
charter was passed regulating the
duties Of the collector and his as
sistant to perform all the work OF
the office.
The annual collections have in
creased, thereby increasing the
work, yet there has been no effort
on the part Of the city council to
help out the collector.
During the fiscal year ending
May 3lst, 1895, $412, 539.42 was col
lected. At that time the collector
drew attention Of city council to
the increasing labor Of the office;
but his request to allow him an
extra assistant was denied. So the
collector employed one on ibis own
account.
The collections for the fiscal year
ending May 3lst, 1896, shows an
increase Of $l00,0O0-consequently
great increase of work.
To add to the work and trouble
Of the collectors Office, a new fam
gled system of receipts have been
invented that il persisted in will
require an annex built to the city
hall for storage. This new fan
gled receipt is bound in series Of
books, and while not adding one
iota either to the efficiency Of the
office or the satisfaction of the tax
payer, actually removes the guards
against speculation, II any should
be perpetrated in the office.
The council has been engaged in
an effort to cut off the authority of
the collector If not to relieve him
from his responsibility under the
charge.
Heretofore the collector made
provision for dog tags, license tags
for hacks, etc. 1t has now been
taken odt of his hand, and the
consequence is that all the dog
tax, hack tax, occupation tax, ir-
rigation tax, milk licenses and ad
valorem tax become delinquent on
the LIST day of June and the rush of
alarmed taxpayers to pay up was
unprecedented and yet the collec.
tor is expected to make a daily re-
port Of his collections, separating
to each fund its quota.
The assistants have toiled night
after night until after midnight
only to find other task on the fol-
lowing day increased. Hundreds
Of letters from non-residents lie
unanswered on the desk of the
collector.
The collector and his assistants
are justified in opening and closing
the office for business on office
hours, and II there is a deficiency
of labor to meet the demand let
the responsibility rest where it
belongs.
AS an instance of the impracti.
cability OF the new system of tax
receipts, Mr.. A. B. Frank rendered
his tax 81, 400; he had scrutinized
his receipt and discovered q slight
mistake; he offered his money
subject to the condition of this
mistake, but as such mistakes can
only be corrected through petit.
ton to the city council, Mr.. Frank
took back his money. Formerly,
the collector and assessor could
correct the rolls; but now there is
a receipt already made out and
bound In book instead of tax
roll.
As the mistake was only a dol
lar, the assistant collector took the
responsibility to receive Mr..
Franks cash and have the mistake
corrected.