Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-03

funds to be d1SburSed as is now prac-
ticed. County and city tax collectors
are no more necessary than fifth
wheel to a wagon.
The cost of the Los Angeles county
assessors office in the last year was
SIS, ,60S.19 that of the county tax col
lector's office S29, 03414 and of the county
treasurer's $7674.21; total, s75,216.45
Abolishing the tax collectors office, the
cost of it would be transferred to the
county treasurers Office, but there
would be the saving of a large part of
the present expense of his office. The
chief economies would be in the cities.
The cost of the assessors office of
Los Angeles city in the last year was
S24,26S.7S, that of the tax collector $16.-
296.S1 and that of the city treasurer
S6271.47 Total, $46,S3S.56. The cost of
the city assessor and tax collectors
offices or about $4,000 would be saved
to the city were the methods in vogue
in the best organized states and such
as are herein suggested adopted. That
sum would quite make up the reported
deficit in the two revenues recently
reported.
The figures are not at hand showing
how much the assessment of property
| and the collection of taxes cost Pasa
dena, Santa Monica, Ocean Park, Long
Beach and other of the lesser cities in
the county. The amount must run up
to S25. 900 or more which would be saved
to the taxpayers of those cities by the
changes suggested.
The saving of expenses is not the only
consideration. 1t would be a great
convenience to have one place where
all taxes can be paid and full acquit-
tance obtained. There are now two
places to which all city taxpayers must
go to pay taxes, and the same is true in
the case of all rural people who own
property in a city. All are obliged to
go to the same place to pay state and
county taxes. All property owners in.
the cities must make out two assess
ment lists, while under the changes
suggested one would do for all pur-
poses. There is no argument in sup
port of the present system except that
it provides for a greater number of
workers for the political push. and
giving them compensation from the
money of the people through appoint
ments to Offices.
In the number of public officers and
! employees California stands far ahead
of other states in proportion 70 popula-
| tion. The expenses of the Legislature
are greater because of a superfluity of
attaches forced upon it by the members
as compensation for personal or party
| seekers and place hunters than prob
ably any other, which is logical result
o. the abundance of offices with liberal
! salaries that has characterized the
| policy of the state from the beginning.
| 1t Is high time there should be a
change that shall place the govern
| ments of the state counties and cities
on a more economical basis, and this
can easily be done without impairing
! efficiency. This is no longer a land of
| pioneers among whom crude conditions
may be expected, but il has entered
! upon a period and career of organiza-
ton when the methods and details
! should be carefully scrutinized, ex-
cresences Topped of and economics en-
forced in the public interest to the
utmost practicable extent.
The time is approaching when state
officers and a legislature are to be
chosen and the people should begin to
think about the men they would have
represent them at the state capital
Officials have fixed terms and until
they expire the people will have no
protection against incompetency and
unfaithfulness except in the kind of
| men they shall choose next November
Men of the political machine are
always awake and doing, and when an
election is over they begin preparing
for the next They study manifesto
tions of the public state of mind, and
plan selection of men for the offices
who will serve their purposes. The
masses in the meantime are in the rush
, of business and forget that they have
public duties to perform. Hence they
are overreached in caucusses and con-
ventions by the push and defeated at
the polls so far as reform is concerned
through appeals to party issues.
Political affairs should be treated with
the same common sense as are private
affairs. Public duties should not be
neglected altogether nor to any extent
in attention to private interests Those
who would neglect the former to pro-
mote the latter are not good and
patriotic citizens in a popular govern
ment. They might be desirable sub
jeets Of a monarchy.
Men should be chosen to the legsla-
ture not chiefly to elect United States
senator's and secure places for political
workers. but to find out I'm what way
economies can be introducted without
impairing the efficiency Of government
There needs to be a thorough over
y hauling and system adopted less