The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-16
DOG TAX SUBJECT
Of SUIT At LAW
D. -
County Treasurer Heckler Will
Probably Await Order of Court
to Change Tax Slips.
STATE OFFICER OBJECTS
Commissioner of Revenue Smith
Declares He viii Not Make
Changes Oh His Books.
STATE OFFICER OBJECTS

The method Of collecting dog taxes
in Henrico has caused quite "a stir in
Henrico and those in close touch with
the situation declare that there is
likely to be disturbance over the
question before 1t is finally settled.
Commissioner of the Revenue. G. f,
Smith has taken hand and expresses
himself rather freely concerning the
action of the supervisors iii ordering
the county treasurer to place the dog
tax on the personal property tax slips.
The commissioner was seen after the
meeting Of the supervisors and after
stating that he would not talk for
publication be began to freely state his
views in the matter.
The county treasurer has no au
'thority to make any entries on his per-
sonal property books that are not
taken from my books" said Mr.. Smith.
land l can say right now that there
will never be any dog taxes entered
on my books"
When asked what he would do in
case of suit in the courts, Mr.. smith
said. THAT will make 10 difference to
me, am state officer and my books
are State books and I am out of the
juriSdistioif cf the court
Treasurer in ouandery.
County Treasurer Heckler is at a
loss how TO proceed IN the contin-
geacy that now faces him The SUI
pervisors agree that IL is too late to
make the change now since many OF
the tax bills have been paid. They
agree that the unpaid taxes shall be
collected by the constables hits year
but that next year the taxes shall all
be on one slip and be paid together.
In speaking OF the matter Treas
urer Heckler infers that he viii not
make the change unless forced to do so
by the court; he interprets the law in
such a way that he does not feel free
TO put the taxes on the same slip with
out the order of the court.
1t is evident that the matter will
have to be settled in court and prom
ises to be an interesting legal hight
with the supervisors and common
wealth's attorney on the one side and
the county treasurer and commissioner
OF the srevenue on the other.
The supervisors adopted the motor
TO give the order to the treasurer at.
ter receiving the advice OF Attorney
Gum that their step was legal mir
Gum advised them that he had re.
ceivedo favorable advices from Judge
Scott.
The Cause of II.
a prominent member OF the boare
"a super tStk - IN SPcSRiHE Oh tine fTAl'
ter, declared that the matter of col.
lecting dog taxes In the county has
been sadly neglected, and that some
step was absolutely necessary. The
supervisors believe that if all the
taxes are included on one slip the tax
rayers will come to the Office and set
tie up for each item on the slip al
together. and that there will be n
further trouble. They say that TIL
taxpayers object to being service VIII
second slip after they think the!
have paid all their taxes
The county treasurer points out thai
the dog tax is license tax. and ha;
no connection with the real estate
personal property and ga pitatien taxes
He says the change will cause compli-
cations in his accounting system am
will be generally unsatisfactory.
The treasurer says further that ,ht
Deg tax question IL simple encHS h. ,segsq
can easily be solved II the constant
are made to do their duty in the "a,
Of forcing the payment or killing tht
dogs