The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-17

in the Omissions of Credit to the City
Sewer Tax Comes Along in a Close Sec
ond and Altogether There are Several
Thousand Dollars Due the City by Onis.
sion OF Credits.
The Eagles account of the tax Difficult
ty between the city and the county led
10 some considerable comment both pro
and con.
Mr.. r. z. Guthrie who made the first
examination OF the books, was seen yes
:erday and said:
Il would have TO have my report to be
exact, but I can approximate. I think
it was about February q, 1897, that in
behalf Of the city OF Wichita l fled a
claim with the county Clerk for amounts
fclaimed to be due to the city for some
emissions Of proper credits. Due the city
in round figures, $4,000; interest at per
cent upon same for time withheld, $1,000;
total, say, $4,000.
The different accounts entitled to cred
d. are approximately as follows: General
fund, about $4,000, paving fund, about
$1,000; sewer fund, about $500, or total
about $4,000
The entire amount OF the penalties
and interest claimed by the city are in
cluded in the item general fund, and
amount to not more than $4,000, Of which
arylnr rr1- lzv Of t1a
been credited. The county treasurer had
credited the city with something like
81 400 in interest but the report of Messrs
Dorsey and Smith entirely Ignores the
interest item. If the city is entitled 10
the S90i.41, it is entitled to enough more
10 make up nearly $4,000 of penalties and
interest, as the treasurer's books will
show that amount 10 be about the pro-
portion collected up 10 October 13, 1886,
upon properties sold for taxes in 1894 and
since. In any event the only amount
That could be held subject to decision of
the courts by the Dorsey and Smith re-
port is the ss0i.41.
In the matter Of the paving tax, the
County has collected about $4,000 that
Nearly $4,000 of this was paid to the
county treasurer on February IA, 1895,
by the Street Railroad company and for
which they hold receipts. About 81, 900 of
fais was paving tax OF 1893, and was
omitted from the tax roll by the county
clerk and was never charged the county
treasurer or credited.to the city. It was,
.noWever, put upon the rolls supplemental
'and collected by the treasurer.
II 1894 the Douglas avenue paving tax
was spread upon the tax roll by the coun-
;ty clerk, but he failed 10 credit the citv
with 1t or charge the county treasurer.
sThis amounted 10 about SIS, 400. Another
atem was the amount of paving collected
10y the treasurer on account of assign
ments OF delinquent taxes that were col
lected by him but overlooked wher #
came TO making the annual distribution
OF funds collected to the various ac-
counts
Afurther item Of paving tax due the
1ity arises from property that was er-
roneously sold by the county treasurer
Tor the Douglas avenue paving tax for
years 1873 and 1854. These sa,es were
Charged 10 the city but parties having
previously paid the tax as shown bv the
tax rolls and receipts issued therefor
ahey were wrongfully charged TO the city
and should be credited back. These items
amount 10 something over $1,000. In the
Eewer tax the county clerk in 1884 made
an error in the amount credited TO The |
CITY and charged against the treasurer OF |
over $1,000. 1t was, however, spread up
on the tax rolls and collected. This fund
was also overlooked in the distribution
OF assignments In the general fund the |
larger part of the errors occur in the |
manner Of charging back to the various |
funds the amounts chargeab.e by reason !
OF the property sold 10 the county. The |
scfSooi board as well as the city was in
,ured in this distribution to the extent |
Of nearly $1,000, which if the school board |
had at this time would. have no Doubt
care for good many OF the teachers !
for wages earned. Each wear
the tax rolls are made up by the county
clerk and delivered to the county treas
1rer. On November ! the general leviee
-N ea'SAi tAAS EaiudLLOnS. tOr the
past three years the city levy has been
soout a mills on the dollar. The school
district levy has been about 13 mills on
the dollar OF asse essmert The county
levy has beer mills The total levy has
ranged from about so mills, SO Won will
Zee thai the county gels about one-tenth.
The city tive-tenths and the school dis
trict about two and one-half-tenths. The
state, bonds and other funds get the ba,-
arce.
Since 1888 il has been the custom of
the county clerk and treasurer 10 not |
only charge the city and school district
With their proportion OF the general levy
that was unsolicited, but they have !
credited 10 the county fund the penalties
amounting 10 about $4,000 per year, and
advertising fees and charging back 10
the various funds such a proportion of
the penalties and advertising as the levy
IF each fund bore 70 the general levy.
This has.made the city and school dis
-rict put UP 10 the county seven ard one
lalf-tenths Of all the unpaid penalties
ana advertising. This of course helped |
n county funds but was hard on the
other funds. as the amounts 50 charSe:
we're taken from the original .evies Of
he other funds. In the matter mention
ID in statement made 10 your reporter