The Washington times., 1908-07-24
Important Changes in Dis
trict Offices May
Come Soon.
ROGERS is SLATED
FOR TAX BUREAU
Davis VIII Go to Board of AS
Sessors-Antiquated Methods
Lead to Complaint.

To be Collector Of Taxes-CharIes c.
Rogers, now Disbursing Officer.
To be Disbursing Oficer-Louis c.
Wilson, now a member Of the Board Of
District Assessors engaged IN assessing
personal taxes
To be member OF the Personal Tax
Board-Alezsnder II Mckenzie, now a
member Of tie Board o. District As
Isessors enga -; In assessing taxes on
real property
TO be a membar Of the Realty Tax
BOard-EUgene G DAVIS, now Collector
of Taxes.
Changes Regarded as Inevitable.
These trsnc -sant changes in three OF
the principal bureaus Of the District
government are now under considera-
zion by the District Commissioners.
They have been proposed IN the irEar-
est OF 0eJter administration. While IL
is possible that the Commissioner may
not order these transfers at this time.
such changes or others Of corresponding
nature are regarded by officials Of very
high authority as inevitable
The only statement made from The Of
III West- These transfers" said ne,
have been considered, and are now be-
ing considered But whether they are
20 occur Immediately. in the near fu-
ture. "a the distant future. or nor ar
all, an not prepared 20 say"
Collectors Office Behind Times.
Lack Of progress in the Collectors
Of6cC IS accepted as the occasion for
Tie proposal that these changes be
made 5Ir. Davis me-nods and results
are ALIKE mlcn criticised Il is known
that the heads Of those bureaus whose
work Is related 20 that OF the Collectors
lClnce have made Il Enthusiastically plain
10 their suoerl0rs that these other di-
visions cannot reach then. greatest ef-
lHCIency Il the Collectors Once Is 10
Ilo-d u methods which were Old Sftsen
or twenty years asp.
/ The utter failure 10 obtain vrr1ts OF
diStraiut 10 enforce the collection OF
back taxes. cumbersome office methods,
such IS TIE double stamping OF tax
bills. lack Of sufficient safeguards. as
IN sending forth baiiiffs t1 collect taxes
without sufficient memorandum Of the
accounts Que and col-ee.ec, ere 2Tlo!g
The specifications presented Informally
10 show that the Collectors Once could
easily be improved
$4,000 UncoIlected-
/ L is further stated that while 8Ir.
Davis has collected about 20 per cent q
all the personal tax bills submitted 10
him there is on hand an accumulation
OF unpaid bills aggregating not less
/ than $4,000. II is the judgment OF other
/ officials Of the District no adequate ef-
1ort has been made to cut down that
. total
The hope Of the Commissioners vas
plainly that Mr. Davis would accept
, the transfer willingly 1t involves a re-
| 6uCtiOn Of his salary from $4,000 TO S.00o,
and his withdrawal from an Office where
ne has served for twenty-three years
. But the new post proposed 70 him re
quires less initiative, puts a premium
1 upon his mature judgment, and brings
into daily use that particular inforna-
. ton as to real estate values which Mr..
/ Davis has been accommodating through
all the years OF his employment in the
/ / office OF Collector. His advanced age,
. his fine character, and a most lkabIe
/ personality have been factors IN with
( holding the authorities so far from
/ transferring Mr.. Davis whether he likes
t it OF not
= VIII Fight Transfer.
When asked today II he had heard
J Of the action proposed, Mr.. Davis said:
Yes, have heard Of It. All OF my
IrieuQS Win W4lOlu i nave ADVISED nave
, counseled me not 10 accept the transfer
voluntarily. II I am 10 be taken f-om
7 this office il viii be without my con
curreuce- have heard Of no dissatis-
] faction with the manner IN which Z
, has been run on the part Of outsiders.
and the only complaint I have heard
| / accredited TO men inside the Office has
come 10 me through third persons
Objected To Change.
I II is understood considerable hitch
arose when the interchanges were first
/ suggested, on the ground that they
made q sort of Botany Bay out OF the
: Board OF Assessors. The answer was
that BIr. Mckenzie had already been
- q member Of the Personal Tax Board.
and that while the direction Of the
collectors ONCE might be a little TOO
! much for M Davis he was specially
/ qualified 10 serve as an assessor,
, 1ir- Rogers Is the only official who
would obtain any increase Of pay out
, of the transfers Mr.. Wilson and M
I AIcKcnzie would stay al their present
salaries of 500 each. 8Ir. Rogers would