Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1910-09-16
HAS FAILD TO
PAY LICENSE
LARGE Amount Lost by the County

A striking example of loss of revenue
through neglect to collect county licen-
SEES has just come to our notice, and
which calls loudly for redress even at
this late date. John Ratio, proprietor
of the moving picture show in Jackson,
in addition to his show at county seat
has been operating branch shows for
the past two years in Suffer Creek
and Amador City, usually playing two
nights in each place. The license tax
for the jackson show under the city
ordinance is S25 per quarter, and this
tax has been faithfully collected by the
city officials. For the outside shows a
license tax is required at the rate of
81. so for each performance, or SO per
week, collectable by tax collector u.
S. Gregory, who is ex-officio license
collector. Inquiry at the sheriff's
office shows that the matter of collect
ing this transitory class of license is
left largely to the sheriff's deputies in
the respective outside town. We sim
ply mention this fact, although it has
little or no bearing upon the merits of
this story-the tax collector is respon-
sible on his official bonds for the faith
full collection of this revenue.
Now, from the outset there has been
a disposition in county affairs to favor
Ratio in the matter of license tax,
without any excuse being given there
for. He was singled out for favor, and
that is all we can make out of it, and
our readers must judge for themselves
as to the motive.
The records show that Ratio paid
for two licenses in July, 1908, and one
in October of the same year. making
$3.50 all told. At the meeting of the
supervisors in December, 1908, the fol-
lowing appears on the minutes:
1t was moved and carried by the un-
animous vote of the board that John
Ratio be granted free show license
in Amador county for the period of
three months.
In May, 1909, we find another entry
on the minutes to this effect:
John Ratio of Jackson, Cal, APP
4 peared before the board and asked the
board for free show license in ANA
dor Co. 1t was moved and carried by
unanimous vote of the board that said
John Ratio be and he is hereby
granted a free show license in Amador
county for the period of six months.
We have no hesitation in saying that
these so-called free permits were with
out legal authority, being without any
legitimate basis. But for the period in
cluded within these permits the super
visors and their legal adviser must bear
the responsibility for the loss of rev.
enue. Even conceding their validity.
the last permit expired in November,
1909, but Ratio appears to have con-
tinued right along in the show business
without contributing in the way of Ii
cense payments for the support of the
government. In June, 1909, an oppo-
sition moving picture was started in
Suffer Creek. and the proprietors, with
the Ratio example before them, ap-
piled for and was granted a free Ii
cense for five months, which would eX-
pire on even date with the Ratio per-
nit. This was supposed to be the last
of the free show business. But we can
not find any record of the payment of
county license by Ratio since. although
continuing in business.
Assuming that Ratio has conducted
his outside show four nights per week
from the date of the first free permit,
the account stands thus:
Dec 1908 to Sep. 1910, 80 weeks,
at $40 per week 5000. 90
Less 80 weeks free permit, 1890
| By cash. licenses 7.50
Balance lost to county $500. so
Now this is a serious matter for Am
ador taxpayers who cannot get out of
their taxes by the same route, and who
have to make good the loss. Sheriff
Gregory says it is not too late to col
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