The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-17
The City Charter.

To the Editor of The Post.
Houston, Texas, May 16.-Referring to
your editorial in today's issue of The Post,
fully concur in the opinion that the
city charter should be so amended that
IN the future the four years statute of lin
itation should be applicable to all suits
for the collection of taxes. If such amend
ment is adopted, 1t will have tendency
to force the prompt collection Of taxes and
10 relieve the citizen from much annoy
ance in reference to taxes on property he
may own, which probably accrued long
prior to his ownership thereof; a law OF
mat Kind, had 1t been III force during
the last five years, would have saved to a
great many oil our good people their little
homes which have been sold Tor lakes. and
" many Otner OF our citizens great sdcrl-
uceS they were compelled 10 MAKE in order
70 save their home from sale. Ine clty
attorney at my request. has furnished me
u STATEMENT showing that by these suits IN
the last few years ne mas collected ana
turned into the city about S375.OOO and
Ia addition thereto has purchased for the
account OF the city property on which taxes
were que amounting to about SOL 900, and
nave Judgments aggregating $50, 32l fore
closing liens on land but not yet executed.
making total in collection by suit by
the city attorney and la judgments not vet
enforced OF about $513, 900; this does not
include collections on back taxes mado by
tho tax collector.
The amendment to the charter now pend
ing gives no relief whatever to the tax
payer VINO has paid these back taxes nor
TO our unfortunate people whose prop
erty has been sold under judgment for
taxes, nor to any of the persons against
whom Judgments have been rendered.
However great the sacrifice has been to
them there is no relief afforded, the
amendment provides no means by which
their homes and property can be restored
10 them. The Judgments not yet executed,
amounting to $4,000 are Liens on prop
erty and will be enforced aad the prop
erty sold and no relief afforded to the
properly owners. BY applying the four
years statute Of limitation to suits now
pending 1t Will relieve those against whom
the suits are pending from taxes which
accrued four years or more previously.
Ihe city attorney at my request, has hand
ed me list of the suits now pending
which | submit for your inspection. You
VIII observe that they aggregate sea. SS7
and that parties against whom they are
brought embrace our wealthlest and most
prominent business men as well as cor
names of some of our bankers, lawyers.
doctors and leading merchants You will
find the names of our railroads. compress
companies, street railway companies and
others corporations. Would IL be Just and
equitable TO remit the taxes to the par
ties who owe the $63,0O0 most of whom
are wealthy and are able to pay, when you
furnish no relief whatever to the poorer
classes included in the list Of S5t3 600. for
which judgments were taken, under which
their little homes have been sold or are
liable to be sold? ! respectfully submit
that 1t would be unjust to make such n
discrimination. AS only a very small per
cent OF the back taxes remain uncol-
lected and as the same Is due to great
extent by persons and corporations who
are amply able 10 pay the same It is only
right and proper that the amendment 10
the charter should apply TO suits which
may hereafter be filed, and should not be
retroactive BY this means all OF the
property owners OF Houston Will stand on
the same footing, and a few will not be
favored at the expense Of the large body
OF tax payers. Respectfully.
" p uan,bIa,