Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-11
DATE OF TAX PAYMENTS
COMMISSIONERS DEFEND PROVISION
OF PENDING BILL.
New System Intended to Facilitate
Transaction of Business-COm-
parattve Statement.

In transmitting to Congress the draft or
the bill to make hereafter the whole tax on
real and personal property in the District
due and payable in the month of May, the
Commissioners explained that 1.-The legisla-
ton proposed by the bill is necessary to en-
able the Commissioners to put into opera
ton system of records and accounts which
has recently ben adopted" This system of
records and accounts, they further eX-
planned, is designed to facilitate the trans
action of business in the assessing and col
lecting branches of the District government,
land for the greater convenience ef the
public having business Herewith"
mo advantage" stated the Commission
ers. Commissioner Mcfarland not then hav-
ing assumed Office. lis believed to be derived
from the existing law prescribing the pay
ment of general taxes III two installments:
but on the contrary, that requirement is
the cause Of much embarrassment in the
administration of the tax departments.
The bill. as heretofore stated in The Star,
provides that hereafter, beginning with the
fiscal year commencing July l, 1900. the
" hole tax real and personal property in
the District shall be due and payable in the
month of May of each year and if said tax
shall not be paid before the LIST of June in
each year the same thereupon shall De in
arrears and delinquent. After the tax be-
comes in arrears and delinquent a penalty
of per cent upon the amount thereof is
added, and a like penalty on the LIST day of
each succeeding month until payment of
the tax and penalty.
As to the Month of May.
1t is explained by the District authorities
that the month of May mentioned in the
bill means the month of May following the
LIST day of July on which the taxes begin to
run, and that the same is true as to the
Let of in, tba
law. That is they explain, the taxes for
the fiscal year ending June 30. 1901. will be-
come due and payable. as a whole, in the
month of May, 1901. This means. in the
event of the enactment into law of the bill,
that no one will be required to pay any
taxes on real or personal property for the
year 1901 until May of that year. thereby
doing away with the payment next Novem-
Der of the first half of such taxes the rule
of course. to follow in the succeeding years.
The bill. as proposed by the Commission
ers, authorizes and directs the Secretary of
the Treasury to advance to the District in
the manner now prescribed by law, out of
any money in the treasury of the United
States not otherwise appropriated, such
sums as may be necessary from time to
time to meet the general expenses of the
District, and to reimburse the treasury for
the one-half advances payable by the Dis
trlct out of the taxes and revenues collect
ed as provided for by the bill.
This would, the District authorities state,
not only take out of circulation the money
OF the taxpayers required to meet the No
Vember half payment, but would put into
circulation the money advanced by the
United States to meet the expenses of the
District until the collection of taxes in May
of each year. There would be, it is contend
ed by the municipal authorities, no hard
ship imposed by the proposed one collection
of taxes, because. as they explain, the tax
payer would have the use of money from
November pvhi
but for the passage of the bill, he would
be required to pay into the District treasury
next fall. After the payment of his taxes
next May, they further contend, he would
have twelve months in which to collect or
use the money required for the next an
nual payment.
Card system Introduced.
For several years, it is said by the Of
fcals of the District, the people of the Dis
trict have had occasion to complain, and
justly so. of the unbusiness like and i'm
perfect system Of keeping the tax records
and accounts. Many errors serious both to
the citizens and to the District, have
Cured, 1t is said, because of these I'M
businesslike and imperfect records and ac-
counts, and several months ago the Com
missoners appointed committee of Dis
trict employees to consider the question: in
vestigate methods pursued in other cities
and report to the best system to be
adopted here.
After long and careful consideration this
committee recommended the adoption Of
what is known the card system of keep
ing these records and accounts, and the
recommendation was approved by the Com
missioners, who have secured from Con-
gress an appropriation to put this card
system into service here and continue it.
This is being done, but it has been found,
so the District authorities state, that it Will
be simply impossible to carry out this card
system unless there he but one payment of
taxes each year Semi-annual payments,
they say, would absolutely prevent the exc
cution with any degree of success Of the
card system, and believing. the Com
missioners have stated that no advantage
is to be derived either by the taxpayer or
the municipality from continuance of
semi annual payments, and being convinced
that it's continuance would be the cause of
much embarrassment in the administration
of the tax departments, they recommended