The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-07

Operation OF the New LuWs-SuTHs
Realized From Various Sources
Additional Help Il Needed.
L. G. Davis. the Collector Of Taxes, to-
day submitted To the Commissioners a re
port Of the operations OF his office for the
fiscal Year ended June 81, 1901 Tho report
shows In, following collections of rsycuU,
from various sources Realty tax So
sg9. u@,.e-, personal tax, SIS. l55l6, penalties
and interest. $u.5-1.lo; miscellaneous. SOP
G,65S. water fund. S5sg&sS.9s. ass, ssmcnJ
and permit work. Sa69lLa0. improvements
and repairs. SII.o-2s5; deposits 60 Jhe cred
I it of the United States. S1I.Gl2N2- suudTy
deposits. S55l.5lZl2, permit work Iwhoi-
Custsb. Slis-H>f.-f. Total $f..y4 o,5-a4-
Mr.. Davis submits certain recommend
/ uous which ne deems necessary for the
= improvements of the efficiency of the ser
/ vice of his department., and such cN-
/ plantations as may lead TO Il better under
standing of the conditions and difficulties
experienced in the administration of the
Office
The lack Of sufficient force" says Mr.
I Davis to properly transact the business
and TO give TO taxpayers that prompt and
( satisfactory service which they ought 70
} have has long been apparent 10 everyone
/ who is brought into business relations
! with the office. Our present inadequate
/ force and the rapidly increasing business
/ cf the Office. would suEgs st a large adGi-
! ton To the number of clerks but ] have
/ only asked for such increase as has been
found. by experience, 10 be Absolutely nee
essary-namely, an assistant cas- hier and
/ two coupon clerks.
our recommendations to supply the
I ma. .Ig
mate knowledge. gained by experience. Of
! what is necessary for the purpose hence,
/ the failure Of Congress TO Supply the nee
/ cssary assistance to enable this Office to
meet its growing demands has been the
| cause Of embarrassment during the past
! four years
/ The system Of collecting taxes inaug-
| urated in last May, after the defects de
/ veloped in the beginning were remedied,
/ worked very satisfactorily II was found
1 impracticahle for this Office to deliver
! bills, as originally intended, owing TO the
/ delay caused by having TO return such a
! large number Of bills TO the Assessor for
/ alteration. In the meantime taxpayers
awaiting the return Of changed bills made
] il difficult for others in line TO approach
] the cashiers desk. which caused diSsatis-
/ faction and seriously interfered with the
| despatch of business. Happily that was
| Of short duration, the remedy being found
! by transferring the delivery Of bills To
! the Assessors office. This simplfied mat
/ tiers by removing the cause Of the delay
! and confusion and permitted the business
/ 10 proceed in an orderly manner. and the
system worked smoothly and was the sub
/ ject Of COMMUNICATION by taxpayers gen
| orally. tt has however. materially in
! creased the work Of this and the Assess
/ or's office. but the improved service. we
think. more than compensates for the in
| creased labor. In order to continue the
/ improved system it is necessary 10 have
! the addition 10 our force. which we have
! recommended.
The wisdom Of Congress in enacting
/ legislation authorizing the collection Of
1901 tax in one installment was fully jus
| tilted by the result There was no com
plant or apparent enbarras sment on the
| part Of taxpayers in making payments,
and many expressed themselves as well
/ pleased with the change and hoped il
/ would be made permanent, and instead Of
I diminishing receipts, as7 PAS predicted by
| a few who opposed the single payment.
/ our receipts were larger in May 1901
/ Csing.e payment, than m November and
! May. 1900 double payment. / submit
/ statement OF levy and collections for this
1 and previous year Of realty and personal
tax:
Levy. Ie00-ReaIty tax, g. 620 63.S5; col
! Iections. S2.235. 764. A; personal tax. $2f5,-
SIAs5; collections, yleg, 1856; total levy,
8, $40 $3.50; total collections, $2,645lS2.5o
Levy. l9m-ReaIty tax. 2.C7s.IHI7: col
| Icctions, & .225. 5000; personal tax, S2.f--
2os 20. collections. SI6S 9f5-2s. total levy, 81
| 500 fSg.S7- total collections, S2,sg3,gl5-27-
! In explanation o: the large balance of
/ unpaid personal tax reported IN this
| statement / beg 10 state that Il Is made
/ up mainly Of assessments which have be
| come uncollcctabIe by reason Of retire
mcnt from business, removal from the
! city, death. etc, Of the persons against
| whom they were charged
| From our annual tax sale this year for
the delinquent tax Of 1890 the District re
allied tll6,9i53G. Compared with last year
this shows a decrease Of 10000 caused by
the fact that less property was subject TO
| sale this year. which curtailed the oppor-
| tunities of bidders who were as numcr-
Gus and anxious to purchase as hereto
! fore.
Il beg TO submit the following estimate
Of expenses Of this office for the year end
| Cd June 30. 1893: For salary Of Collector
Of Taxes. $4,000; Deputy Collector Of Tax
J as, 5000. cashier, s., 500, assistant cash
! Ter, $780, bookkeePer, $780, two clerks
at $l4.y. S2.,g|; two clerks At $500. s. 400.
two coupon clerks at $3.50, $3.50; bank
/ messenger, Sl-u1, messenger, $780, extra
! labor in preparation Of sale Of delinquent
| property. 81 .rfH. for contingent expenses,
| 81, 900. Total $3.50"