The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-03
D0NNEILY IS WITHIN HIS
 LEGAL RIGHTS
Common Council Committee Will so Report on list
 District Tax Rebates

Former Tax Collector John M. Don | nelly upheld his end of the controver- sy that arose during the meetings of the Board of Apportionment, when he appeared before the Miscellaneous committee of the Common Council last night and explained why he was
 handling the tax rebates in the first district. The matter came before the committee because of a communities tion sent to the Common Council by the Board of Apportionment and which sought to have the handling of the first district tax rebates done by Don> nelly's successor, Bernard F. Cooney. Both Donnelly and Cooney were in attendance at the meeting. Cooney re- 1 mained silent during the discussion Donnelly explained his side of the story when called upon after the res- olution was read. He said that he had not taken from the office of the
 tax collector any books or records that belonged there as the communica-
 tion from the Board of Apportionlnent
 seemed to indicate. He went on to
 explain the blunder of the Board of
 Apportionment in levying tax upon
 greater than could be legally done
 The excess was three mills on dol lar. The property owners thereupon threatened to bring injunction pro-
 ceedings to prevent the collection of the taxes from that district. The Board of Apportionment refus- ed to meet again and correct the blum der and the matter came before the Common council. The council passed resolution which designated him to make the rebates of the money ille-
 gally collected and in accordance with that order from the council he had been handling the rebates. His char
 ter rights didn't make it necessary for
 him to do the work and the Board of
 Apportionment would have had to comply with the council orders and kept enough money with which to make these rebates. This involved much work.
 MT. Donnelly had a record with him to show the amount that had been rebate4 He declared empha tically that he had not taken records or books from the tax collectors office when he left that office last fall and said that he thought 1t only fair that council that the resolution of the Board of Apportionment not be adopt ed.
 MT. Donnelly explained the system he used in making the rebates. Of the 9,577.21 which had to be rebated, s. 25OO5 has been paid out leaving but s3715 The checks for this balance have been drawn but have not been called for. Many of the amounts were less than a dollar. some running from seven cents up. He thought these amounts would not be called for. The balance remains in the hands of the city treasurer.
 Alderman Robert G. DeF'orest of the committee thought the communication an unfair one. He believed Donnelly Justified in keeping the records until the whole of the rebate is paid. AL derman Guy F. Miller didn't believe that the Board of Apportionment de- sired to. cast reflections upon MT. Don nelly but desired to see the records of the transactions in the office of the tax collector. There was much dis cussion over the matter.
 The committee will make this re- port to the council. We find after
 investigation John M. Donnelly has
 been within his legal rights. in the matter. that he is not keeping any books or records which he is not en- titled to, and should keep them until he is ready to make report to the council.'
 The Donnelly matter occupied prac- ticalIy all of the time of the conn | mittee