The evening times., 1896-09-26
ANNUAL REPORT OF TAXES
Aggregate of Collections Was
$2;9l3,422.46.
In EXCESS OF REVENUES
He Complains of the Failure of Con
Sress 10 Heed Recon- mmeEdatiOns.
The Need of Law Regulating, Tax
Sa!es-The IEadequacy of the Force
Employed in His Office.

Col. Z. G. Davis, collector CT taxes, las
made hIs annual report 10 The district Com
.nissioncrs, frCm witch il ;ll,aIs that the
aggrrsa.e OF tax collections for tie year
euurd ..une 39,lSS6. was Sa.913, ,ill.46.
This wi.sin excess Of ,Ee current rev chues,
the tax On realty 1or that year Lcins
S2,3l6.2 personal y. Sl4V ,6G7 O.;
uu aggregate of S3,e.1,ooa.O1- Tie re-
-u!aiUurr OF the receipts VI ere or arrearae ees
III taxes ON realty aid personally for Last
years since s1V, ana from ole corporations.
loi5 to 1870.
Inc lccapltulation shows totals as fol-
lows: Realty tax, S2,T56, ,573.el; per
sonal TAX, 81 15e $3.50; penalties, $685.
925.o9: miscellaneous items, So6i ,3sS.l7 {;
water fGpd, S2s1 ,95O.I9.
The collector says, among other things,
that the consideration given by Congress 10
the Recommendations tor more efficient
laws for the collection of taxes is of such
character as to discourage any further at
tempt in tina direction, bot for its import
ance to the interests OF the District.
NEW LAW NEEDED.
mo doubt can lie enteriained," he says,
''of the necessity for the passage OF a law
in relation to tax sales that will in some
measure protect the District aud provide d
sure and safe means for the collection Of
deliuuueui taxes. TEdcr the present law
thousands or dollars OF delinquent taxes are
annually cancelled upon application. and
the District seems powcricss 10 prevent 1t.
This STATE of affairs must continue until re-
lief is granted by Congress"
The collector subI /. ) with his report
copy of House bill SI39, heretofore printed
ii Tie I'll es, which, lie says, is tie re-
suit Of careful revision, and there seems
to he 70 lUoI reason why IL should rot
receive Congressional action.
The bill provides a pIocess whereby de-
iirguCHt EIoperty nay lie sold and deed
withheld Until all arrcaTagcs Of taxes are
shown to have been paid, with penal
ties. interest and costs, including taxes
for the then current year The present
difficulty is that property Ii ay become de-
linqucnt for as much as twenty years, but
wasn -suliit can Oily lie advertised for The
taxes due for the last preceding year, and
the sale prevents the collection OF prior
charges The collector says:
Under present conditions our lax sales
are principally attractive from the fact
that safe means is thus afforded, under
cover OF law, for the cancellation of ar
rcaragcs. \ few take advantage OF The de
ferti.e la ws and cvadc their duty as good
citizens.
- TENT OF TIE PRACTICE.
To give an idea of the extent of this
practice ! need only mention that over
$500 in Arrears OF taxes were cancelled
during the past year.
Next in Importance TO having just and
equitable Id SIS for The collection Cf taxes is
To have sufficient facilities 10 give full ef
feet to the same.
My reconIme endatiun for additional
r.. ,-..-.-.,. ..li .II,a-el requirements
the huSi leS> OF the office having more than
,iouilrJ in IDe past few years-has not
received that favorable action by Con-
Err>S> tina, It's importance demanded The
oflice Is, therefore, greatly embarrassed
ia the proper and systematic manage
Hient of It's business, and to remedy this
/ baye asked fer au assstsnt Ca shcr.
The position of casSier is one of great
responsibility, the duties are very exac:-
. Z and important ana Increase with the
growth of the District The urgent he
ressity for. the appointment of an assist
ant is apparent
The anUl.tion of tie Cffice of treasures
of the District and the appointment of
Deputy collector are commented; on, aud the
collector, in connect ion, recommends
change il the present plan OF receiving pay
ments upon the certificates of the assessor
HIS iGea is that the payments should he
accompanied by detailed statement,
properly a;tested by the Officer who is
charged with the collecting and Gcpo sitting
the Sdme.
The wisdom OF reducing Tx penalt from
= to l per cent per month, for nou-pay ynent
OF taxes, which wa tried Tor the first time
sae pres sens var. was seriously Questioned
but it appears to have been a desirable
change, Will, lifting heavy burden from
tax-p yers. who. through stress of cir
cuniStances, lave been obliged to allow
payments of taxes to lapse, II has not had
the effect to add to tue number of delia
quents.'
Renewal of the appropriation Of 81 800
for the collection OF overdue personal taxes
is again asked. Last year S9.lSO arrears
OF taxes We're collected, which was en-
tirely due to this gency.
The Collectors sGlaricd list includes nine
uersons, and the total appropriation asked
for is $ls,600.