The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-02
UNCOLLRCqED TAX MONEY
Submitted to the Mayor by MIR. Robin
SON Meteorological Least ome-Thtrd OF
Tax Arrears Lost Because OF no sys'e"-
attic Effort TO Collect Them.


sent to Mavor Driscoll the very COM
plete and thoroughly fair report of AS
sistant CORPORATION Counsel George W.
Robinson on the collection or taxes ar
rears in the payments ON the sralo
lists for years back, and making recoii-
mendations for changes in the system
Judge A Heaton Robertson's letter 10
the mayor is as follows
Hon. Cornelius T. Driscoll, Mayor OF
the City of New Haven:
Dear sir-I herewith enclose the rev
port Of George w. Robinson, Esq, as
sistant corporation counsel, IN reiatlon
10 the work for the past year In the en-
forcement Of the payment OF arrears OF
taxes
I would commend to your careful
consideration this report Of Mr.. Robin"
SON, which seems to me a most Valua-
BILE one. How much time and energy
he has devoted to the interests OF the
city is shown by the simple statement
| that he has collected over $4,000 In BACK
taxes and assessments,
l most cordially endorse the sugges-
lions and recommendations made in MS
report and believe that II they are car
ried out 1t will be of great benefit TO the
city Of New Haven Respectfully
J. HEATON ROBERTSON,
Corporation Counsel
| Assistant Corporation Counsel Robin
sons report in full Is as follows:
Hon. "A. Heaton Robertson, Corporation
Counsel, City Of New Haven
| Sir-Complying with the request OF
the Hon. Cornelius 7. Driscoll, mayor
of the CITY of New Haven, l report TO
Won as follows in relation to my work
for the past year In the enforcement OF
navment Of arrears of taxes, and re-
epectfully request that you forward the
same to Mayor Driscoll with such sug-
gestions as under the circumstances you
may deem proper:
| In the month of December, 1889, the
| tax collector turned over to me llst
of those in arrears Of taxes from the
list of 1874 to the list of 1897, covering
list of those people owing back taxes
for period of over twenty years, al
though in a majority of cases the taxes
were in arrears only as far back as the
| list Of 1892
This list included the names OF some
three thousand persons or firms IN ar
rears of taxes In the list of 1897 ana
back Of that period, and as far as am
able to estimate Gin view of the fact
that the tax collector is unable to tell
me the total Of these back taxes) would
amount to between two and three num-
dred thousand dollars, of which amount
I should estimate about one-thlrd was
business tax.
| Owing to the fact, as far as l. am
able to learn, that during all this period
no determined and systematic attempt
| has been made by the tax collector or
bie nredecessors to enforce the payment
of these taxes, other than the metnou
of sending out bills and notices tnat
said taxes were due and unpaid, the
city of New Haven has probably iost
AT least one-third and perhaps one-haiI
NJ +he taxes in arrears, and since
have undertaken to enforce the pay
nert of the same have already ascer-
tanned that nearly fifty thousand dol
Lars If tbe tax on personal and business
property is uncollectable for the reason
| that those owing the same nave gone
ont of business, cannot be found, u'eu'
mr. gone through insolvency, Whlle 90
much more has been lost TO the Guy pS
liens having expired or being lmprop-
erly placed and the property transfer
red to other parties
Since these lists were turned over 10
me- 7 have enforced the payment 10 the
| collector of $4,000 taxes and assess
ments.
As the result of notifying the parties
In arrears I have found in several IN
stances that the taxes had peen palu'
hut NOT credited on the list given to me
by the collector.
ot 1so Hans looked into, for the pur-
nose If foreclosure I found seventy
five cases where the liens had eltheF fo'
been placed at all, or Improperly placeu'
On that the liens could not be fofecloseu'
and of thirty-seven suits instituted 10
foreclose liens, thirty were settled by
pavment of taxes before the Wrlts were
served.
In view of the facts ascertained dur
ing nv connection with TINS bfahch Oh
the CITY work. I feel that, although not
directly in my department, deem IL
for the interest of the city that l call
to your attention such matters, as in
NV Judgment. if remedied, would save
the taxpayers many thousands OF dol
lars and correct several existing evils
In the first place, 1T must be under
stood that the present tax collector, MI
Anthony, is in no wise responsible Tor
the acts of his predecessors, under
whom the largest part OF the taxes now
in arrears were allowed to accumulate
and In fact since taking office the pres
ent collector has adopted card system
by which he is enabled to Immediately
ascertain the amount owed by each tax
payer. thus greatly simplifying the old
system of examining the rate books OF
the various years, an unnecessary ano
tedious proceeding to ascertain tne
amount owed by each taxpayer.
1t appears to me, however, that the
adoption of the card system alone is in
sufficient to protest the taxpayers, and
to render mistakes more impossible
and that some method should be adopt.
ed where each clerk should be held re.
lsponsible for his own errors in the col
lection and crediting of monies received
and where a proper balance could be
lobtained at any time, and the collector
be IN d position 10 know just WHAT
lamount of taxes had been paid an6
what We're due. such a system to be
iadopted. when the expert now examin-
ing the books of the office reports as tc
the condition of the same.
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