Evening star., 1903-10-19
ANNUAL TAX REPORT
Collector Davis Details Re-
ceipts for Past Year.
TOTAL OF sS4,539,301.l0
WATER RENTS AGGREGATE STAT
ED TO BE 1886, ,641.o3.
Collectors Comment Upon the Figures
Furnished - Quotation Regarding
Taxation and Tax Sales.

Mr.. E. G. Davis. collector of taxes, today
submitted to the Commissioners his an
nual report, giving in detail the receipts
Of the District from realty and personal
taxes and all other sources during the
fiscal year ended June 30 last. These fig
ures have been forecasted In The Star. AS
stated by Mr.. Davis the account is quito
interesting. The actual receipts Of the Dis
trict from all sources were "a ,539. .301 10
The collector handled. however, a total Of
S5.921 .321.sO the difference between the ac-
tual receipts and the latter figure being
made up by whole cost deposits for permit
work. trust funds. etc The summary Of
the actual receipts is as follows: Collection
on account of realty tax, So, 167. $50 81; per-
sonal tax. $471.95426: penalties and inter-
est. $S3.S45.56: miscellaneous sources, ss15.-
G44.41; total. $4,539, ,3O1 TO-
The General Fund.
This sum of 81, ,539 301. 10 constitutes the
general fund.- in the following summary
of the total handled in the collectors office:
General fund. 81. $50 301 10; trust fund, s643.-
S11.SS; repayment to appropriation S217.-
o6o.1l; permit work. s221, 1871; guarantee
deposits, 100000. Total s., ,921, ,321 80.
The trust fund mentioned above is made
up OF receipts from water rents, which
amounted to S336,C41.03 water main taxes,
ponce and fremens funds. moneys col
lected from the United States from miScel-
lSneous sources, and the redemption fund.
In commenting upon the figures furnished
Mr. Davis says:
Ihe trlennlal assessment of real and
personal property has resulted in an in
crease of the revenues of the District of
$G67. 1910
Increased rates and number of interests
taxable which were not subject to tax
alton heretofore have increased the re-
Ce1DtS account of mis- 10
s24S, 105.14.
The receipts from the department of In
sufahce snow an Increase of $51 ,761.03, a
portion of this being from arrears
The collections of arrears of general
taxes amount to the large sum of S4G-
1905. which it is fair to assume was partly
cue to the operation of the amended law
in relation to taxes and tax sales an
proved July =, 1902.
In explanation l would state that the
commissioners by the exercise of the au-
thority conferred by provision of that law
sold at private sale in January a number
OF pieces of property bid in by the District
at sales of prior years, payments being
required in each case of all unpaid taxes
and assessments on the property sold be-
fore issue of deeds to purchasers. This
being followed by the regular annual sale
for taxes in March. resulted In the collec-
ton of arrears of many years standing.
The payments on this account were further
increased by the publicity given these
sales. and the very excellent system of the
assessors office in notifying delinquents
of unpaid taxes on property liable for sale
under this law. Hence 1t will be seen that
the operations of the amended tax law
greatly stimulated the payment of the ar
rears Of taxes. ~ r- '-..---. ~ -.
Taxes and Tax Sales. 1as
"The law relating to taxes and tax sales
provides: That taxes are due and payable In
two installments; first half in November
and the second half in May. or all in May
without penalty. as the penalty does not
commence to run until June 1. when l per
cent is added to all unpaid taxes. and per
cent on the first day Of each succeeding
month including March. After sale, which
takes place in March. taxes bear interest at
the rate Of per cent per annum II bid in by
the District; If sold to outsiders. II per cent
per annum is charged, and two years given
for redemption. after which time settlement
must be made with the purchaser Properly
bid in by the District may De SOLD al private
sale at any time.
1.-THE amount realized from sale or 5,o2o
pieces of property at our annual tax sale IN
March 1908 was S127 ,S33. 81. This exceeds
in amount the sale OF last year py Si4,oo
and 100 pieces Of property
This form of investment still appears 10
be popular Notwithstanding the rate OF in
terest allowed purchasers has been changed
from Is to Il per cent per annum, and
other requirements adopted which curtail
some OF the privileges which were advan-
tageous to buyers.
Great care has been taken to arrive at
a correct exhibit of balance Of taxes due
the District, and the statement herewith
Is confidently submitted as being correct.
At the beginning Of the fiscal year the bal
ance then due was carefully revised by the
assessor by comparison with the arrear
cards, the differences reconcled. and such
other means taken to obtain figures that
could be relied upon as showing true bal
ance of realty tax due and unpaid, and the
monthly examination Of this amount by the
auditor leaves little room to doubt the cor
rectness of the statement.
The Unpaid Balance.
THE unpaid balance of personal taxes
1977 TO 1902 heretofore shown is no longer
a charge against the collector by reason Of
the repeal Of the law under which the as
sessments were made. By the elimination
Of these balances the District has lost moth
ing. as the Office had exhausted all means
to enforce collection on this account before
the courts declared the lawn non-enforce-
able The balance shown for 1903 is all
that remains unpaid of the assessment Of
1888 533. .O6 made under the new law, ap-
proved July 2. 1902 and 1t Is only fair to
state that Of this amount more than $50, 600
have been collected since the 1st Of June
last. and every effort Is being made by the
office to collect the balance due.
1.-The law authorizing the appointment Of
a deputy collector of taxes does not appear
to confer sufficient authority to enable him
to perform the duties of the collector dur
ing his absence, which Is the cause of en-
barrassment and Is liable to seriously in
terfere with the business Of the Office. No
tably this is the case ia the collection of
checks; some banks question his right to
indorse the same for collection. and in some
instances the Office has had to submit writ
ten authority before this right would be
recognized. This should not be necessary,
and the delay occasioned might disastrous
ly affect the interests of the District The
law of 1887 and 1883 vested the cashier with
the necessary authority, but the law au-
thorizing the appointment of deputy col
lector and defining the duties Is not so clear
on that point and 1t is important that this
matter should be remedied without delay.
Il therefore recommend that Congress be
asked to grant to the deputy collector Of
taxes sufficient power to perform the duties
Of the collector in his absence.
Under the act Of Congress making an
appropriation Of $500 for preparing tax sale