Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-03
COLLECTOR THOAS EXPLA|NS
Thinks Money Matters Can Be Regulated Without Friction

 Although Some Things the Board of
 Finance Requires Are Among the
 Lists of Delinquents if the City Will
 Only Foot the Bills
 Editor of Democrat:
 l have read with some interest the newspaper reports of the proceedings of the board of finance on Thursday evening. Of course, I am familiar with the provisions Of the charter quoted by MT Goss, and although they are inconsistent with the special act of the general assembly creating the office of collector of taxes in Water bury and defining his duties. which has been ratified and confirmed and amended since the city charter was passed still it may be possible that the charter and act may be construed to- gether and both be held good law. There are one or two practical diff eulties in the way of literal compli- ance with these provisions that have prevented their being fully carried out. The section calling for monthly reports to the board of aldermen of all del1nquentS requires in a city of this size an immense amount of labor. as 1t involves a monthly examination or the books of the comptroller. the city clerk, the collector. the former tax collectors and probably of the treasurer It will mean additional heip i'll the collectors office, as 10 compile list of everyone who owes assessments, water rents and taxes for twenty years back will take a clerk two or thre, weeks in each month. If the board of finance wants this done, however, and will provide for the expense, it shall be done.
 The charter provision requiring the turning over of all city funds at 2 o'clock every afternoon to the treasl1r CT can only be carried ont bv a rule refusing to receive checks and requiring all payments in cash. Checks cannot be col lected as speedily as this. S1lch . rule would work great inconvenience Doth to9the public and to the city. For lhese reasons these provisions have been neglected, like many other clauses ln the charter, which the board or finance, as well as the rest of us sinners, skip over without any qualms or conscience whatever. Iris true. as Alderman Goss says, that the city charter should be strictly lived LID to or avoided; that is, it is true as an ab stract proposition of law Practically. however, it is violated every month in nearly every department of the city. It has to be. l do not say this out of ignorance and rashness, but I can pcint out the specific instances, if the board deslres. and does not know of them.
 am always ready to listen to any suggestions from the board of finance. nor do l consider myself superior to any board in the city, as Commissioner McEyoy's remarks would imply. Of course l am pot trying to get even win the city, as MT Goss humorously suc- gests. As for Mir Lords statemept that I have $30,000 on hand. which for the bank to have might save the city from borrowing, I can only say that Mir Lord is mistaken and that his state- ment was and mt st have bean p.ade without any knowledge of the facts whatever.
 l have no desire to retain inc funds or the city any longer than is neces-
 
 They always have been and always Will be at the call of the city treasurer. He has never come to me for funds when he did not receive them. shall De glad to meet MT Lord. MT Gibson and MT Russell and to talk the matter over With them and I think any mis- understanding or friction can be easily done away with I will say. however. that in view of the heavy responsibilities of the collector of taxes. the fact that he is greatly handicapped ill the performance of his duties by circumstances for which he is not responsible and with which the board of finance are in right to be familiar, 1t seems to me that the slle- gestions should have come first and the newspaper agitation afterward. If l should adopt the method of dealing with the board of finance it would cost the city thousands of dollars. We shall probably reach an understanding somehow; if we cannot the board of finance has my bonds, so I imagine the city will not suffer.
 ". F. THOAIS.