Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-30
CUT CTTYS
CLERK FORCE
NoN-PARTISANS PUT STOP TO
DOUBLE FIGURING
TAX COLLECTOR MUST ACCEPT
LELANDE's TOTALS
Old Custom of Hiring Men to Repeat
Computing of Assessment Rolls
Abolished by Reform
CounciImen

| Most of the afternoon session of the
! city council yesterday was devoted to a
sharp contest between the Republicans to
get an increased force of deputies for
Tax Collector E. e. Johnson and the non
| partisans in opposing an increase.
| Out of the debate and the gridironing of
| city officials the strange fact was de-
| veloped that the force of the tax collector
each year recomputed every item sent in
| by the city clerks force on the assess.
ment rolls-the same men doing the work
| in each case. These extras are shifted
from the city clerks to the assessor S
and to the collectors offices alternately.
The non-partisans squelched this prac-
tice and hereafter the figures submitted
| by the city clerks men will be accepted
as final.
Under the law the figuring must be
done by the city clerks office.
| Year after year the totals caused by
the assessment which this year includes
$4,000 names, have been figured twice, at
double the time, labor and expense and
entirely outside of the law. 1t has ap-
| parently as one councilman said helped
to distribute pie.'
Has Followed Custom
| Asked why he followed this custom,
| Collector Johnson said he did it because
| he refused to accept the figures of another
office, and his predecessors did likewise.
He said he would be personally liable for
any errors.
When City Attorney Leslie r. Hewitt
and Deputy Emmet Wilson showed him
that he would be charged under the law
simply with an error but not personally
held liable he refused to be comforted.
The council cut down the request for
twenty-seven deputies to twenty-five, and
all increases in salaries proposed were
kept down to the old level
Messrs Wallace and Dromgold of the
finance committee came out firmly against
any increase in the city payrolls.
Pass Reform Ordinance
The ordinance as finally passed was as
follows:
An ordince providing for the number
of persons to be employed in the office
Of the city tax and license collector of
the city of Los Angeles and for their
appointment and fixing their several
compensations.
The mayor and council of the city of
Los Angeles do ordain as follows:
Section l. There shall be employed in
the office of the city tax and license
collector of the city Of Los Angeles,
beginning with the first day of August
1907, one cashier at a salary of $3.50
per month, one chief deputy at salary
at salary of $125 per month each, one
regular deputy at a salary of $11O per
month, twenty-five extra deputies be-
tween August 1 and December 1 of
each year at salary of 500 per
month each as long as their services
are needed, three extra deputies from
December 1 to January of each year
at salary of $10O per month each, six
extra peputies from April l to May 1
of each year at salary of 500 per
| month each, two extra deputies from
| May to July 1 of each year at a
| salary of $125 per month EACH
Tax Collector to Appoint
All of said employees shall be ap-
pointed by the city tax and license col
lector.
Sec. 2. That the salaries provided in
this ordinance shall be in full compen-
sation for all services of every kind
and description rendered by the per-
sons specified herein
Sec g. All ordinances and parts of
ordinances in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed; provided, however,
that such repeal shall not operate to
affect or interrupt any office provided
for therein that is provided in this
ordinance, and that the intent of this
ordinance Is to continue such offices
in existence and the incumbents thereof
in office.