The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-10
covE OF THE CITY REVENUES
SEASON. WHEN a GOOD PART
OF THEM IS COLLECTED.

,,,,r thousand Dollars of the
md Quarters Taxes Paid In
10 Last Night-Gathering in the
water Rents-A Busy Season for
Cf,y Treasurer. ana His Clerks.
c,,,. ---lsurer Hardee had received
s- $50 Of the second quarters taxes
5,..o ~-,rty. personal property and water
.erday. About $4,000 of this
-, is taxes on real estate and per-
while the remainder Is water
NJ, was a pretty busy time re-
..i,i,, t-ls revenue during last week. The
,.,--v n, has not yet come, however, as
-. universal rule of deferring payment
..,n ,-s last day prevails. The limit for
a,rmsrr with the 10 per cent discount by
~ ,,,,trs under these three sources of
-,r.,ne. expires Saturday. The effort TO
- into the treasurer's office on the last
-, e therefore explainable. The time
49, beap when the final day brought the
cty as nigh as $4,000, a large part of
,b;cb was checks, however, instead of
cash.
# has been a rule with the city treasury
far the last five years to be lenient in
,,-,ire unpaid tax dues over to the mar
s,l f7. collection and even in that Office a
-ooson bile indulgence has generally been
iTsn delinuuents. AS soon as the first
Fftssn DAYS Of July expire, the time dur
mo which the discount Is allowed, postal
cards notifying diinquents of the
an,onnt due are sent out, and the result
This has been that about half those re-
Ceirlng notices give them attention. Some
hing over 2OOG notices We're sent when
the last quarterly taxes were due in April,
and one-half was paid, while the other
hair weut 70 the city marshal to be col
1eoted There is an inclination to be less
evactine In collecting the taxes due on
reaitv than those due on personal prop
ertv for the reason the latter sometimes
vanisbes ana is therefore liable to leave
the treasurer without recourse for collect
Inc this revenue. The distinction between
the classes is solely to protect the inter-
ess OF the city.
fair sum of the quarterly revenue col
1ected comes from water rents. These
ars semi-aunually paid in advance, the
first fifteen days of January and July,
subject to The usual discount if paid with
IN that time. The city fully protects itself
BY holding property owners responsible
for the rents, and they are not relieved
when the property is sold unless arrear-
ages are paid and immediate notice given
that the proper transfer may be entered
on the register. It Is required that writ
ten NOTICE be served seven days before
the commencement of the following pc
Rod where parties desire the water shut
off. otherwise the contract will be CON
siiered binding for that time and the
rent collected.
The rate charged is determined accord
ing to the valuation of the property where
the supply is wanted In cases of a $500
valuation or under, the rate is IS per an
nun; over $500, and not exceeding $1,000 is
$50; not exceeding 81 500 is $40; not ex-
ceedng 5000, is $12; not exceeding $3.50
is $3.50; not exceeding $1,000 is SIS; not
exceeding $500 is $3.50; not exceeding
$1,000 is $50; not exceeding 81 800 is $22;
not exceeding 5000 is SO. 80; not exceed
ing $3.50 is $3.50; not exceeding $4,000 is
SS and all over $4,000 is $50 per annum.
All other consumers, such as bakeries
barber shops barrooms, for building pur-
poses, fountains, laundries, steam engines
and boilers stock yards and other places,
are charged on a systematic basis of reck-
onlng. The rating has been reduced to
such methodical plan that few cups Of
"'-~L SCI away 1OE WHICH the CITY does
not get a revenue
The Springfield plant which cost the
city close 10 $4,000, has proven a salts
factory investment, and it Is believed the
revenue from rents this year will demon
tIate the fact. The treasurer's receipts
lor rents last year were about 5000.
Vn!e the cost of operating the water
WORKS plant was $4,000. The present out
look Is that this years receipts will ex-
Ceeu those of last year, as the city Is
rapidly expanding and the demand for an
increased water supply is growing.
beS'ueS these sources the city also gets
"a considerable return from specific taxes
iNeNses and badges of various kinds. There
~ d iarse number of things upon which
1s specific tax falls, and in a lump. it
.o,Hs no unimportant part of what 1t
.aAes 70 Keep the various city departments
moving, moving lie average expenses of the city
81 any "here from $4,000 to 200 a week.
troush member of Council stated that
p.'S assIegatinS nearly $4,000 will likely
,o approved and ordered paid at the meet
Us eanesday night to cover what has
oo oeu yoHra cted for the past two weeks. A
laDle portion of this, however. it is
I or+ includes payment for propertv
i,, o, .i1 recently by the committee on open-