The San Francisco call., 1899-09-22
DODGE IS PREPARING
TO DO THE BABY ACT
The HOlieSt Of All Assessors Is
Up Against the Real Figures.
Taxpayers Almost Seven Hundred
Dollars More Than His
Predecessor.

his annual report, in trying to show the
Supervisors what a clever fellow he was,
he turned In a little table, in which was
set down as taxed against quasi public
corporations, for bonds and franchises,
S19, ,507 $50. How can he squeeze that into
that untaxed nine millions, taking for
granted his own latest statement that
81, $50, ,137 of that is bank stock assess
ment? 1t is for the doctor TO explain
when the District Attorney brings suit
against him for that s122, 1882 o. he is shy
at the treasury.
In another portion OF his letter Dodge
flies in the face of the Auditors figures.
He says that, notwithstanding the fact
that the average yearly delinquency un-
der Siebe was $500 and his Oodge's) de-
Hnquency this year is sl22,9S o., 1T
Will be seen that the customary delin-
Guency has been reduced this year to
minimum amount" He probably arrived
at the minimum in the same manner in
which he arrived at the maximum in his
dummy roll, which under the law he must
go into court and confess is illegal or
vofd-in other words, stuffed for election
purposes-before he can be released from
SespGnsiPbIt{ for collection Of taxes 6a ts qn
another paragraph OF his letter shows. He
says:
AS the law compels the District Attorney
TO yearly bring suit against the Assessor
for all amounts remaining uncouected, l
presume that, following precedent, such
suit will be brought against me- in fact.
the District Attorney informed me a month
the plain reading Of the law in this regard.
Why such a law should incumber our stat
ute books which practically tends to pun
ish a for his zeal in endeavoring TO
list all property subject to taxation should
he fail collect thereon could
never understand. These suits have, how
ever been commenced yearly against my
predecessors in the past, but on the show
ing of the Assessor that he had used duo
diligence in his efforts TO collect this un-
secured personal property taxes have com
to nRught-
1t can be seen readily from a compari-
son Of the figures IN DIR. podge's letter of
defense that he evades the issue raised
by the figures S122 1882 o.. Not once in 1t
does he mention them, nor in any of his
reports. With him 1t is claim every
thing and concede nothing" It's Il did
this" never II did not do that" 1t is the
familiar trick of the politician. DR.. Dodge
is forever crying, Il have reduced the
taxes on real estate" Let him prove 1t
If he can. He does not refer once to the
fact that under his admirable dummy
assessment the taxpayers of the city Of
San Francisco have paid into the State
over seven hundred thousand dollars more
than they did last year. The figures speak
for themselves.
Siebe's roll for 1898 was 1852, ,O61,
Dodge's dummy assessment for 1899
$405 III 615. States share of taxes 81 All POS |
Increase in States share, Dodge over
Siebe, SOL ,769.
In other words, the taxpayers of San |
Francisco will be called upon to pay the
State more than 500 600 for one year Of /.
Dodge with all his delinquency. Would I
you say the luxury was expensive? Think
1t over.