Graham guardian., 1897-02-05
sEMI.ANNUAL, TAX PAYMENTS

SsASNAoA DSA'So |
ulated among the members of the
legislature at Phoenix, gives the
most excellent reasons why the
aw should not be changed as pro-
posed:
"To the Members of the Nine
teenth Legislature of the Territory
of Arizona:
No law should be passed which
will postpone for six months longer
the payment of taxes. From one
fifth to one-tourth of the taxes OF
the various counties are usually
delinquent, and portion of these
delnquents pay before the 30 per
cent penalty attaches in April.
AS the law now stands, five per
cent penalty attaches in December
for u delinquency of only three
months, until April, when an ad-
ditional penalty of 80 per cent at
taches. Under this rigid law near
ly one,fourth becomes delinquent,
although few Of these pay before
the 80 per cent penalty in April,
but the heavy 80 percent penalty
compels the payment.
1t is true that the great majority
about three-fourtbs, pay before
the December delinquency of 8 per
cent attaches for three months.
How will it be if s per cent is
the only penalty for delinquency
of five months-until the first OF
June, when money is being loaned
at / IL to 2 per cent per month!
The bill invites delinquency from
all tax payers and should be killed
at once.
The delay in payment of taxes
will impose further burdens upon
all taxpayers in the end. Many
counties are far in arrears IN the
payment of demands which are be-
ing "hawked" about at 2 per cent
discount on account of the delay
in payment. Demands of every
kind except fixed fees and salaries
are usually "swelled" high enough
to meet the discount which the
holder accepts when he assigns the
demand. AS fixed fees and salaries
amount to about one-fifth of the ex-
pense these "swelled" demands
amount to the other four-fifths as
no one will furnish necessary sup
plies, services or other current
nocessaries without figuring upon a
cash basis during these stringent
times and making the figures of his
demand cover the discount of 2 per
cent per month which in many
cases amounts to rs per cent of the
face of the demand. THESE ARE
HARD, STERN FACTS. Every
law-maker must awake to the stu
alton which confronts him. The
money lender reaps the harvest
from this discount, and form the
inability of the counties to protest
against it. The delay in payment
of county demands is to the benefit
of the 2 per cent per month money
lender, but the county and the in
div:dual taxpayer is called upon to
pay it in the end.
u No taxpayer will pay taxes in
December to avoid penalty of {
per cent for five months delinquency
until June, when his money is
worth from ~ to 2 per cent pei
month, or from 7 IL to 10 per cent
until June.
The independent money lender
takes in this percentage and the
oppressed taxpayer pays 1T at The
end of the year, or it is Jumped il
among "unpaid demands" at the
end of the year; thus it goes on
from year to year.
| The result of this bill will be
that taxes will be paid about once
a year, but instead of being paid in
December will be paid the follow
ing June. Instead of seminar
nual bill it will be in the end an
| ANNUAL PAYMENT BILL. Nc
sane person knowing the value OF
money in our midst will pay his
taxes until the following June.
AS our taxes will not be paid
until the following June, our
schools cannot possibly run during
the winter months as now. Many
of our most competent teachers are
without ready cash, and will have
to discount their demands to meet
their absolute necessaries. This
should not be. Instead of moving
backwards for six months at 2 per
cent per month, the step had bet,
ter be six months forward to re.
lieve the taxpayer of this interest,
eating policy of the money lender.
Our schools must be kept open in
winter, not in the blistering heat
of summer. Our taxes are heavy
enough already. AS the chosen
and trusted servants OF the people
do not increase them.
If the worst has to be met, q sub
stitute permitting the Board of
Supervisors to extend the time I'M
til delinquency for 80 days longer