The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-22
COMMITTEE VOTES
TO CUT DOWN FEES
Reduction i'll Amounts Paid Gun
bingham and Hawkins Urged
After Hearing.
SALARY MATTER is TABLED
Pollard Urges Some Change TO
Eliminate Big Profits
Of Past

After hearing from subcommittee
"h'ch went thoroughly into the matter
ses'sruay afternoon. the Council Com
hlittee on Ordinance. Charter and Re-
forn' last night recommended 10 the
conhcll that the fees Of the CITY Col
ite'or OF laScs be reduced from IS of
per cent. to y Of per cent. For 1911.
ana mat the fees OF the Commissioners
OF Revenue be reduced from J.. of
per cent. to q OF per cent. FOR 1911
i"rther resolution looking 10 invcs-
''gation into the advisability of placing
oott OFFICES on a salary basis. in lieu
u commissions, was tabled for further
consideration next Monday night.
ne subcommittee was composed or
Nlessrs Nonderlehr ana Pollock II
iiearo from Chairman II r. Pollard. Jr..
or the Finance Committee. a,ithor ~
the resolution for the reduction, or f.ns
VINO frankly stated that lie preferred
id' salary but realized the great
opposition and rather than to continllt
paying excessive amounts. world nc.
ceae 10 having the rate of rct!uctiou
proposed III his resolution cut in half
II roi'liii'ittee also heard from Special
accountant George S. Crenshaw and
from Captain Frank w. ,,rnnj,sb.,ni
City Collector
Collectors prniits
E"ptaln cunninsh1m was vague j.,
regard to tile expenses Of conductinr
ms once not being familiar as 10 what
many items amount to. He mn,,ei ~,
schedule, with the aid OF ill., Snc,.i,t
accountant which showed that he en-
Pioyed one deputy 1T SlSO0 one al soOo
one at $40. and one recently retained
IN Washineton Ward at $500. ma king
an annual charge for clerk hire of
5000" Inc city furnishes his printing
an" oN the city agreement his tolcphone
costs him but $40 per year His bond
costs $50 He kept no general expense
account, and had no idea of the total
Out II was finally figured down that Tho
, once costs to operate. with allowances
lot extra clerk hire in busy seasons
lostase and all other proper items. D
totai II $3.50 per year. On this OUTLAY
the Collector drew last wear totn,
OF Slloei,3o, making his net income
from the office S6097.35 With the in
creased assessment the estimat ted com.
missions al the old rate for 1911 we're
Placed by Cha irman Pollard and Spc-
cial Accountant Crenshaw al s13oOo
when would yield the Collector this
year net profit OF $500 On the
oasis OF OF per cent. It is believed
mat the office will WELD this wear an
proXimately $4,000. which after de-
Quoting the fixed cost OF opera ton and
salarles of deputies, Will still leave a
net profit to the Collector OF 5000
Commissioner OF the Revenue.
The committee then turned its at
1entlon TO the Commissioner of tho
dnienvy en,,' where conditions were more
tact that some fees come from the citv
and some from the state
ve an ,e ene PASS basis Of a report for the
,nt, II was figured that the fees OF
me Office from State and city had
s,1 ,li total revenue Of s22,S3i. in
f fa 1 assess ment. licenses. trans
lers and all other items. Commissioner
~ y, Ha wilkins employs ten deputies.
at an annual fixed cost OF Slo. 400 and
has annual expenses Of s1ss0o '.r 'imt
leaves as the net profit of the Office
t n;n last year to Commissioner Haw-
Sc vi ir rom state and city sources.
tnfv net proht AZ the old rate will not
~ cuii III rnr snort Of $4,000 this year The
one ihs a,s on city taxes is from
cent, Il cut of Approximately $500 "a,
t We year. According to members OF
~ t,e committee ii. no question exists as
20 me right Of the city to reduce the
ices OF the City Collector a, anv ti,,,.
ne being paid a commission On act,iai
e cd ~ eoli Get on 1t has been suggest
60 Ina me Commissioner OF the Rev
=, cannon be reduced While the work
o. o. assessment is in progress. as lie
,eea are based on assessments n,,}
payments. MOI
ri, Recommended Unanimously.
me Committee on Ordinances Char
~ anu REFORM last night adopted the
a KIT, o. me subcommittee as a whole,
n nin ,oIoered proper resolution for
Waarded to the Council, leaving on a.
. ni Tor the present the question Of
thduc:ihE me two offices on n saIarv
r",, aiter TINS year. Mr.. Lynch, pat-
hhlarN IN tleu Of fees. appeared before
t .i!c committee. taking the view tlat
ne once OF City Collector coI15 ha
auoiishcd altogether without vloes
it.a. n.,r 10 the city; that he was MOI
eoilector, but merely a receiving
said ~ ~ me city's money. Mr.. Pollard
n niue FOR the duties and responsibiii.
ticS Oh both positions ~,
Eapsalh cunningham spoke ut length
uclendlnS his office and his condmc1 ~ ~
:. lor the past twenty-five years '1,rr-
ans ,nc Importance OF keeping Stnfc
gu Ga,y funds separate. the great labor
n ha u"'' h books, and the fact that he
H a, neei cut from seven eighths 10
~ c-tiShthS of | per cent abouf ~,
HedIs ago lie admitted that his ofscn
, Mas only busy a few months in the
InaI: at taX-paying times. In the nast
laJ,,al practically the only money re-
I ien was the certified checks for
sao'ooo on which the COLLECTORS GETS he
commission for "collectine" All hnnni
| INC checks have to be put IN hefnrn
, ,'ir ,i;ustnss Court considers the an
p!!catlon for license. The action nf
ms shc c on In recommending the
luittcc was unanimous.