The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-17
TIME TO CHECK
RAID ON THE
CITY TREASURY
Illegal Payment to
Deputy Assessors.
POLL TAX COLLECTIONS
ATTENTION OF SUPERVISORS
CALLED TO THE SCANDAL.
Assessor Dodge Gets Fat Commits
sion for Work and Pays His
Collectors From Public
Funds.
POLL TAX COLLECTIONS
ATTENTION OF SUPERVISORS
CALLED TO THE SCANDAL.

ed 20 the fact that the Assessor was re-
ceiving Eat commission for the collection
OF poll taxes for the State while deputies
drawing compensation for the city were
performing the duty Of collection. The
Call believed that the tax payers had just
cause for complaint against the Assessor.
Il believed then that Mayor Phelan and
the Supervisors should have taken
prompt steps TO compel the Assessor TO
return TO the city treasury money so
drawn out 20 pay poll tax deputies. Per
haps some OF the tax payers fancted that
The Calls main purpose was 10 defeat
Washington Dodge's reelection. but the
paper was simply doing its duty In expos
ing a public wrong. The wrong has not
yet been righted. The Assessor has not
yet paid into the treasury the amount that
he should pay.
Since the election Auditor Wells and
Mayor Phelan have been advised OF the
public outrage. The Auditor did hang
up" some warrants for a few days 10
await ENJOYMENT, but as no Injunction
proceedings were instituted the demands
on the treasury were cashed. The Mayor
has promised TO look into the matter and
perhaps :he tax payers may obtain justice
without the trouble OF calling a mass
meeting OF the expense Of appealing 10
the courts. The commission OF Is per
IN fact, double pay-and the inclination to
grab more is swinish, 10 say the least.
The matter is fully explained by J. c.
SaulmanA In the following communlcS-
ton 10 the Board OF Supervisors:
To the Honorable the Board OF Supervisors OF
the City and County Of san FranciscO-Gentle-
men: The undersigned. q citizen. elector and
taxpayer OF this city ana county respectfully
hegs leave 10 call your attention 10 certain IL
legal expenditures from the city and county
Assessor, Dr. Washington Dodge. aggregatlng
betweeen 5000 and 5000 dollars said expendi-
lures consist IA the payment OF monthly sal
aries drawn from the public treasury 10 divers
persons engaged IN the exclusive occupation Of
March OF the current year. Section 5S62 OF the
Political Code allows the Assessor commits
sion OF Is per cent as compensation for serv-
ices rendered in the collection Of poll taxes
anu the Supreme Court Of this state has de-
cided IN the Of san Luis Obispo County
W. J. N Fe4ts 81 a.. tvf OaI.' p etl IN an
action brought BY the county against the As
SCISSOR and his sureties 10 recover the amount
Of certain percentages on persona properly
taxes. road and poll taxes claimed and with
held by him as his legal compensation for max
ing these collections as follows: we do not
see IN either section Y Of Article XIII or sec
ton Of article TX OF the constitution any
thing which clearly deprives the Legislature
OF the power 10 make the poll taxes pay the
expense Of the collection II Is fair and reason
able and Just that they should be charged with
euch expense. and the fact that they
clusivey a State tax makes II peculiarly ap-
f,ror,riafe thet the agents for their collection
should be compensated by percentage OF their
collection rather than out 81 the salary OF gen
-eral funds OF the counties Besides the cases
IN which Il has been held that IL is only Just
that every tax should bear the necessary eN-
penses OF its collection the case or shaver VS.
Robinson 80 Ala Rept. ?. l@s) is directly IN
iR paw. anu '-'1''' -,
attention OF the former called 10 the lie
gal.ty OF p9sas ,- these the ei and County
treasury rather than cut OF the commissions,
as the law and the decision OF the court clearly
imply. the Assessor sets up the somewhat move!
and absurd plea that he had simply followed
IN the footsteps OF his predecessors. which plea
was easily brushed aside by the supreme Court
IN the case Of the County Of Modoc ". Spencer
QO3 Cal. ?. 4ss), in which the plea was set up
tbst what was done there had been done by
Boards OF Supervisors in other counties; TO
which the court responded as follows; Many
60 doDe ~, hosr4s and officers in the supposed
discharge OF their duty, and In the best OF
faith, do not fud sanction in the law. and Tor
time pass current because unchallenged; but
that fact cannot weigh in favor OF their valid
ity when eventually called into question. The
action OF the board. being without authority.
was void and created no legal claim against
the county. No claim against county can De
allowed unless Il IS legally chargeable 10 the
county" The books Of the Auditor show that
the Assessor has collected between the nrst
Monday in March and the last day OF Novem-
Der the sum total OF S9s.S15 In State poll taxes.
and has retained as MS commissions on same
and personal perquisites Of his office the sum
OF Sl4.456 Is. or whereabouts. The undersigned
on November % filed protest with the Auditor
against the payment OF certain poll-tax col
lectors for the same month but for the want
Of time in which 20 perfect injunction proceed
ings the matter allowed TO go by default
/ on December I he had the pleasure OF short
interview with his Honor the Mayor, IN which
he complained to him OF the illegal action OF
/ the Assessor. Upon the personal request OF his
/ Honor. the undersigned communicated his
views in writing the day following. receiv-
] ing an assurance from him that he would give
! this matter his serious attention.
The undersigned would respectfully suggest
that this matter be Immediately referred TO
/ your Finance Committee. a committee BY law
] invested with authority TO compel the attend
\ ance OF witnesses, TO send for persons and pa
pers etc etc, and that later on legal pro-
| ceedings be instituted by the city TO recover
/ from the Assessor and his bondsmen the
amount claimed TO be Illegally drawn from the
/ public treasury.
! Of the Assessor II is only necessary 10 say that
/ during the months OF July. August. September
/ md October he collected the sum of $3.50 in
| poll taxes. Of which he retained as his commits
| sion the sum OF Ss37 The expenses to the city
! for collecting this amount Of State taxes. pure
ceItained without investigation about 1885,
all paid out in salaries. and the
tfdnco a9' viii be about slo4o Equivalent to
! about % per cent. that being this city's per-
| centaEe OF the State school fund. Rather a
costly enterprise TO be engaged In, this pay
ing OF % Der cent out OF the city treasury Tor
the collection Of State taxes and receiving but
| % per cent in return. II the Assessor had col
iected no poll taxes at all between July and
October the city would be Just $500 richer. For
,be month Of Novemb4r A still more ludicrous
ed 10 $500 on which he received in commits
slons slf5 IS, leaving a net balance OF 1929 65 TO
lie covered into the State treasury The cost
10 the city for collecting the same amounts TO
about 500 in salaries, which IL in excess OF 50
per cent on the sum total collected. Ruin and
bankruptcy were sure 10 stare any merchant in
the face who attempted 10 do business after
such fashion. The undersigned had the pleas
ure las. year during the latter part OF October
OF exposing in The Daily Call a similar annual
raid on the city treasury-a raid consequent up
on the making up OF the military roll by the
Tax Collector upon which roll he found the
names 81 hundreds OF dead men and OF nearly
the leprous and the misshapen and those
ernpt by law from military service and which
nets the Tax Collector nearly $500 in addition
10 his comfortable salary. and he now asks
YOU to stop this annual poll tax raid and 10 re-
cover what has been taken from the public
treasury contrary 10 law.
ANY Information in his possession which will
lead to such recovery Will be furnished cheer
fully and with alacrity. and the books Of the
Assessor viii show who collected poll taxes
between March and December. The undersigned
| IS credibly informed that for want OF funds one
officer Of the city has been compelled TO pur-
chase coal for his office at his own expense
/ purchase office stationery with his private
funds and that the janitors OF the City Hall
are without hrooms TO sweep the corridors and
without soap TO scrub the same. thereby WILDLY
recalling the condition OF things existing in the
famous Augean stables before Hercules ac-
public utilities, while the Assessor is literally
rolling in wealth.
II Is respectfully suggested that the sum of
$500 taken from the treasury contrary 10 law
would be more than sufficient TO purchase ali
the incidentals heretofore mentioned and leave