Evening journal., 1911-12-14
$4,000 TO
COLLECT TAXES
Mr.. Morris and MIR. SaysrS
Answer MIR. niIIeS' Query
on Cost
SAY FIGURES ARE
SET OUT In REPORT

In reply to comments made by r.
Allen Hnles. in an address he made
on Tuesday evening before the Social
Service Club. on TAX Methods Of the
City Of Wilmington" and the appar-
ent looseness of tho system as re-
vealed 60 him by we'll informed
man. Tax Collectors Sayers and Nor
ris make statements in which they
take exception to Mr.. Hilles' remarks
Mr.. Morris says. Il don't know who
the 'woll-informed man is, but | do
know that the statements are not
founded on facts and are not accu-
rate"
The statements given by Mr.. Hilles
10 which the greater part of the ex-
ception is taken. are as follows;
Il asked well-informed man to-
day what it cost to collect the $780,
600 of city taxes. He said, Nobody
knows Tho two assessors and col
Electors are paid salaries Of $500 each.
About one-half of the taxes is paid
in July and August. I'm July there is
a per cent. discount allowed. In
August. the face of the bill is charged
and on the receipt Of these two
months the collector get no COM
mission.
After that understand he receives
s per cent of the amount with some
additional compensation which Is al;
lowed II looks as If it costs about
$4,000 per year 20 collect The annual
tax and IL could easily be done for
$4,000. and the assessment books and
the whole office kept up i'm first rate
condition. I am quoting the substance
lof this gentlemans answers 20 my
questions"
Tax Collectors and Assessors Nor
Jis and Sayers in reply to the above
say
THE city auditors report sets forth
in detail Just exactly what 1t costs TO
collect the city taxes, and for the
fiscal year just ended il cost $4,000,
or a tTific less than per cent of the
total tax collected. Mr.. Hilles says
that Il looks as though It cost about
$4,000, and that il could easily be
done for $4,000. AS a matter of fact
it costs less than $4,000 given by
Mr.. Hilles as what might be termed a
nominal cost This $4,000 included
cost of making old collections, clerks
and collectors fees and all printing
Anyone can know to the penny just
exactly what Il costs should they care
TO visit either the city tax department
or the city auditor"
In reply TO the statement about
one-half of the tax is paid i'm July and
August they say.
During the months of July and
'ssAugust S672.430 SO was collected on
thu tax budget of SS27O00. or about
80 per cent On the remaining 10 per
cent the tax collectors get a commits
sion"
Picking up the city auditors report
OF 1908, Mr. Morris ran over COM
plete detailed statement of tax collec-
ti0ns II set forth Il cost S9,S25 "A to
collect the tax of the Northern district
and S6.44996 in the Southern district
during that year. Il will be remem-
.bered that in 1908 Mr.. Morris had just
assumed his duties in the Northern
district and that at this time Mr.. Nc
Call, the former collector, was still in
the Office together with his clerk.
This accounts for tho larger cost in
the Northern district Even with these
figures the total cost was but Sl6-
275.40
City Auditor Samuel G. Biddle was
asked to verify the statements made,
and he corroborated them in every
detail. 'To say that it cost $4,000 to
collect the city tax" he said i'm reply
tc question put regarding this asser-
tion, 'is inaccurate and unjust 10 the
city officials"
In reply 10 tho assertion made that
nobody knows what il costs TO collect
tho tax. he said "the last printed TO
port will give the entire and tabulated
cost. This report can be had at the
auditors Office"