El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-18
THE CITY TAX SUITS.
Interviews with Prominent Citizens on
this now Pressing Matter.

matter of the city tax suits develOpes
a divergence of opinions as to the pro-
priety of the city council in making a
special contract with lawyer for the
collection of the taxes due the city for
so long a period; and some citizens
| interviewed are severe on the present
city attorney, claiming it is his busi-
ness to attend to these suits without
the appointment of special legal tai
| ent.
Ex-Alderman Floyd Payne-Every
citizen with the interests of the town
at heart, should pay his taxes. l have
| always paid my taxes; and without
grumbling, even where taxes have
been laid on properties OF mine that
were unimproved for the improvement
OF streets adjoining such properties.
The method of carrying on the suits
seems to me just trihe peculiar: and
this making permanent arrangement
with additional counsel is rather funny.
To employ special counsel on certain
suits might be all right. But hiring
lawyer for everything, we'll: il doesn't
look as as though the council ought to
do it. No alderman would do it as an
individual with his private business.
However, | believe in pushing these
tax suits, and any citizen who objects
is not good citizen.
DR.. w. NJ. Yandell-The big tax
payers are beating the city, and some
thing should be done to compel them
to pay up. Yes, hire additional coun-
sci, and make permanent arrange
ment with him, or get city attorney
who can conduct the suits to a success
full com pletion.
Horace b. Stevens-The city council
is making confession, in hiring addi-
tlonal counsel, that they have an in
competent man for city attorney. If
the city attorney can not attend to the
city's business, why, fire him, and find
one who can. All good citizens are
interested in the progress of the town,
and they should be willing to help col
lect the delinquent taxes, and any
right method should be adopted to
make delinquent citizens pay up their
back taxes.
y. P. Coles-By all means collect
the taxes, but at the same time l don't
not trying them. At the same time,
the council can find lawyer in whom
all have confidence and if he is willing
to take 20 per cent in the contingent
fees, better let him do it. There are
few of us who have been paying the
taxes long enough, and the delinQueuts
ought to be compelled to pay up. There
is not man on my list who does not pay
his taxes promptly. 1t is shame that
L
who won't pay their taxes. AS to the
school taxes, 1 think they are too high:
they are higher than anywhere else in
the state.
Alderman E. c. Roberts-There are
back taxes extending to 1870. and 1
believe the city council should employ
some special counsel to assist the city
attorney. 1t is matter of business,
and it is important that we hasten and
al ha TTn Loci
anything by this employment of special
legal talent. The city cannot lose any
thing by it, for extra counsel is paid in
the per centage and contingent fees
So the city is not putting out any mon
ey. We are guiding ourselves by the
light of past experience. This putting
out only one suit at a time will ere long
bring us back to where we were two
years ago, and lay US open to the
charge of dilly dalling.
J. Calisher-People ought to be made
to pay their taxes. l pay mine, and
others should do the same. Why, as
things are now, the city cannot raise
enough money to pay the school teach
ers. We want city attorney who can
attend to his business. If he cannot,
get some one who can.
City Treasurer Fassett-The
council made mistake in voting to
secure duuIGlOudl COUNSEL. Judge
Townsend is able to take care of the
city s interests, and his handling the
matter of the tax suits alone would
save the city considerable. BY put
ting the collections into outside hands,
this with the other costs would lose
the city considerable money.
NJ. d. Davis don't see why addi-
tional counsel should be employed. If
the city has not competent attorney,
why get one.
Z. S. Stewart think the present
city attorney is incompetent. Get a city
attorney and give him the necessary
assistance in collecting the taxes.
A. Courchesne-l approve of the
securing of special counsel in prose
cution of these tax suits. Let people
pay their taxes or go out of business.
| A man is not a good citizen until he
| pays his taxes. The taxes are not toe
| high here for frontier town: aud as tC
| the county, l have been told that the
county taxes are too low that they
should be nearly double what they are
at present. We are running behind
steadily in county finances, until tht
situation is becoming one for seriou
consideration.