Evening star., 1901-05-17
Change in the Order Concerning De-
livery of Tax Bills.
THE ASSESSORS RECOMMENDATION
Payments After the Present Year
to Be Made Semi-AnnuaIIy.
HOW NEW SYSTEM WORKS

A part of the new system OF tax collec-
ton recently inaugurated in the District
has been abandoned and a partial return
n nade to the old order Of things. Since May
/, when the taxes for the year ending June
so, 1901, became due and payable, the regu-
lar bills have not been given out until the
time Of their payment to the collector at
his office. In former years 1t was the GUS
tom for taxpayers to call at the assessors
office and ask for their BILL which would
then be rendered. They could examine the
bill at leisure and pay it at their pleasure.
Under the system begun May 1. and copied
after the Providence plan the bills were all
made out in advance in the assessors office,
carefully indexed and turned over to the
collector of taxes. Taxpayers would then
call at the collectors office, ask for their
bill and it would be sought from the thou
sands on hand. and, IL correct. payment
would Immediately be made. If incorrect,
tue party would be referred to the as
SCISSORS office.
1t often happened that the taxpayer
would desire a split bill, in other words,
might wish to pay on one piece Of property
and defer payment on another. This al
ways made necessary substitute for the
bill first made out. A large number Of
taxpayers each year like to examine their
bills before paying them. and a great many
real estate dealers who handle property for
outside parties have been accust toned to
the TAX DlliS TO their Cl1entS ana
receiving checks, to be turned over to the
collector of taxes. To accommodate these
persons under the new system dt-has beenjl
the practice to issue small Memorandum
bills from the assessors Office ontaining
the lot and square number. the valuation'
and the tax upon the property. The de-
mand for these bills has been exceedingly
large, and the assessors force i'm addition
to the work done beforehand in preparing
the complete bills, has had it's hands full
IN rendering the memorandums. -Four of
the clerks had been borrowed by the col
lector to assist in managing the indexed
bills, SO that matters were not entirely
satisfactory.
Favor Assessors Recommendation
The District Commissioners today took
action on the system and approved the
recommendation Of Assessor II. H. Dar-
nellie, concurred in by Collector E. G.
Davis. that the bills now remaining un-
paid In the collectors office be returned
to to the assessors office and issued from
there as In former years. The great rush
or taxpayers is yet to come, bills being de-
inquent after June I. To provide for this
emergency and to prevent a congestion. it
was deemed advisable by the officials to
have the bills issued in the old way Mr.
Darneille. in his communication to the
Commissioners on the subject, declared
that about one-half Of the bills made out
IN advance have been returned for the
purpose of eliminating lots upon which it
Is not desired to make immediate payment.
Inere nave been number of complaints
against the new system.
The new system was adopted upon the
recommendation Of the committee appoint
ed by the Commissioners to visit several
of the larger cities of the east to study the
bookkeeping methods and taxpaying rules
In vogue in the municipal Offices. The
Commissioners will probably call for a full
report upon the working of the system
after the taxpaying season has closed
While taxes are being paid at present
for the entire year. the old rule Of semi
annual payment Will again be In effect for
the tax year ending June 80, 1902, and
taxes for the first half Of that year will be
due and payable the 1st Of November next
The District authorities have worked hard
to have Congress change the semi annual
payments to annual payments. Last year
this action was taken to enable the in
stallati9n Of the new system.
Many features OF the card and index
system adopted at the suggestion Of the
Commissioners committee have been found
to be eninently satisfactory and have been
retained.