The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-11
County Board of Supervisors
and County Treasurer Heck
Ter Does Not Agree
BOARD AWAITS ADVICE
OF COUNTY. ATTORNEY
Mr.. Gum VIII Render an Opin-
ion and Board VIII Meet
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Elk
plains His Side.

Existing conditions portend clash
between the county board of super
yisors and County Treasurer Henry
G. Heckler and the crisis viii come
next Wednesday when the Supervi-
sers will meet in special session.
The issue between the treasurer AMI
the governing body of the county can
Germs the method of collecting dog
taxes In the< county. At the meeting
Of the supervisors held last Tuesday
1t was suggested by one of the mem
bers that instead OF issuing sepa-
rate will for long taxes they be placed
on the regular tax slips for personal
property real estate and cacitaf. on
taxes. The supervisors determined to
lay the matter on the table at that
time until the treasurer could be in
teryiewe4, the idea being to ascertain
whether or not he had any objection
to offer.
II developed that he did have seri-
Gus objection to the move and express
cd himself in forceful terms abou. the
contemplated change. Upon icar2ins
the mind OF the treasurer in the MAJ
ter the supervisors took up the mat
ter ugain, this TING at the spectral
meeting called principally for the pur-
rose Of looking into the matter OF
speeding autoIsts.
Dog Tax are Resularship.
AS soon AS the more important ques-
ton was disposed of the supervisors
look UP the matter Of the dog tax.
Mr.. George Watt, Commissioner of
Revenue for Fairfield and Varina Dis
t~tcts took an important part in the
argument He stated that he had In
terviewed Judge Scott about the dog
tax and that he had been sent to the
supervisors. MIR. Watt seemed much
in favor OF the change. He stated
that Il would be we'll TO put the ra&
GA the regular slip so that a party
i,'g another and that in this way the
dog taxes would be collected instead
OF be,ng lost as usual,
Chairman Saunders stated that Vince
the treasurer had offered an objection
to the move. the supervisors had bet
ter take no action until the matter was
thoroughly Investigated. He asked
Comouwealth's Attorney Gum IL he
had looked up the law on the subject
and received an answer in the rega-
tive. III the treasurer has objections.
we must look into them" said MIR.
Saunders. IF he is wrong and we
are right we will order the dog taxes
ll4e-et44eF- billy Ii the major
lily of the supervisors think il welt to
ao 10.
Attorney Gum viii look UP the law
en- the subject. aud make a report
10 the supervisors. They will hold
a meeting on Wednesday. June I5,
AID take up the matter again. when
they Will probably settle it one way
or another.
The Treasurer's Objection.
County Treasurer Henry 9. Heckler
was not present at the meeting of the
supervisors but he was seen in his
Office Immediately following the meet
ing. Il don't want the dog taxes on
the same slips" said Treasurer Heck
Ter, and am not going 10 put them
OF them" II Wendenberg and others
had let the matter alone some time
ago We would now have about 5000
dog tax money in the county treas
urg
Mr.. HeclSier explained that if The
pre- sent state law is enforced the dog
taxes win be collected In a Satisfac-
tory manner. All tina; is necessary
is for Judge Scott to put the consta-
bles to work on their duties and the
taxes viii come In without trouble
IF a constable shoots one mans dog"
said Mr.. Heckler. "the news will trav
el as IL by telegraph and all other
dog owners will pay up In hurry"
The treasurer stated that in 1907
the dog taxes collected amounted to
$3.50. in 1908. there were several
hundred dollars and that In 1909 the
payments had increased in the ratio
of TO I.
AIR. Heckler pointed out that il the
cog tax is put on the slip with the
c'her tax ii viii cause numerous COM
piications and that he has trouble
enough now. The capitation tax Is on
the slip and he cannot force tax pay
ers to pay this, When they refuse he
is forced 10 substract IT from the bii.
IL the dog tax is added he will often
have to make two substractions. lie
also pointed out that in many cas-
a man will be charged with two dogs
and viii declare that he has My one.
10 determine the truth of his state
ment will cause trouble.
He stated that the tax on dogs Is
a license tax and not tax proper and
has no right on the regular tax slip.