The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-20
No Personal Property Tax NO.
tees Sent Out.
Many People Pay Sher1ft's
Fees as Result.
BOARD MADE A new ORDER
Commissioner Changed Plan
and Work Was Increased.
Refused Extension of Time to
Send Out Notices.

Because of the abolition OIL al O-N
and established custom, more com
plants have this year come from per
sons delinquent in the payment %
their personal property taxes than a.
any time in the history of the county
Many people have been unable 10 az
count for the penalties attached TO tue
sheriff's ta-- warrants and troupe mas
fingered close to the county treasurer
ONCE. They have before always oeeh
notified by mail and no pendIlS We"
charged if they paid at that time.
In the treasurer's office, Matt Wels H. ~,
man has been bound and restricted W
laws and rulings that left only d HdI
row we'll defined path for him 10 trdN
81 If was Weightman who Wahteu
notices sent to the dennquents peA u.
the warrants we're turned over - 800 80
sheriff but this action was pro1es-E -
and the warrants went to the sHelpA
in strict accordance with the raw
For each warrant collected, the
-l,erifs receives so cents in addition TO
a nenalty of per cent OF the S -, 70
taxes Thus tax Warraut ~ Tois
80 the sheriff $3.50 in fees rms
- more than 1900 notices were
saDt to delinquent taxpayers IN -
nelza by the sheriff's force. since ne
dav those notices went thfous1 -, y
nails there has been continued wan
- nro+est. It has embodied all the
oi ioi1+s to he found in the calendar
from a denunciation OF the $3.50
rnents the valuations, leNIes any
cass fees and usually endeu VIII
ttTade against public ot1ceholueIs
from township constable to preSiuen.;
II vas in view of these condlllohS
that Treasurer Matt Welghthan vas iaa
toGsv asked for al. explanation OF the
+r0,1I1a Weightman was asked con
carninq the failure to send out nouceS
- daIi1ouents and the treasurer gave
a statement which covers the 90
+ronbIes of some 1900 property
owners. ,o,,,-
what can you say concerning com
plaints that taxpayers have not re- re-,
refved notices of their personal TAX
Weightman was asked; 49,, +raas,,rar
that We have had some complaints IN
the office. The only reason that can
he GIVEN is on account of the enforce
Inent of the tax law by an order from
the board of county coIIliiiis saa for
Here is the Order-you can see 20
Yourself While this law mas beeh eA-
fective for 80 years, it has never pe-
fore been enforced. Owing 10 CES En-
forcement of this law, the WORK o. 'i is7
office force was more than dOuoled III
the allotted time and we succeeded III
getting out notices to the county %
township taxpayers, but OWNS " ~
demand of the sheriff for the TAX wal va.
rants and the commissioners 1nSlstehce
+bo+ this old law be enforced, II was
irnnossible to send notices TO the CITY
tax Dayers, much as we wanted 70 10
so. I asked for a few days more CIIle,
INT Sheriff Norton refused to grant
it, -. ovo of
Then Weightman picked up one o.
+ba little red cards containing tne
certified order of the county poaru. II
was under this order, WelgntIndn Elk
planned, that the work mas Oeeh coii-
Quoted.
Change in Plan.
Here is the order:
IMPORTANT ORDER
To Matt Weightman, .Jr., treasurer
60, on mis- 9TH day of October, 1911
The same being a regular meeting DAY OF
The Board of County Commissioners o.
shawnee County, Kansas, said board pc
Hne- in regular session, the following pro-
ceedings. among others was had ana oe-
Ifnon checking the accounts of the
County Treasurer for the regular October,
1911 settlement, the attention OF the
board of County Commissioners was called
TO n long existing custom of allowing the
STATUTORY rebate on taxes paid after the
nth of December and corresponding
neglect or failure to add the statutory
penalty when taxes are not paid on or De-
So far as the information of the Board
goes this custom or practice has been
forced upon the County Treasurer, in a
large measure, because Of the inability OF
the clerical force of the otf1ce TO handle
the usual rush during the last lew ddS ,
nreceding December 20, the last day of
the rebate period.
But we respectfully call your attention
TO the fact that the Legislature makes the
laws and not the Treasurer or any other
administrative officer, and you are hereby
ordered to discontinue the custom of al
lowing rebates on taxes, unless paid in
full on or before December 20 of eacn
year for the following reasons, towit:
L Because 1t is unwarranted and IL
legal discrimination.
Q (
visions of section 942S, chapter 116, Cen
era1 Statutes of 1903
g. Because neither the Board of County
Commissioners nor the Treasurer has any
right or power to change or modify a
plain provision Of the statutes.
T. Because all of said officers might be
held liable on their official bonds for such
sums as might be due the county on &C
count of such illegal rebates.
You are further ordered and directed to
collect the penalties as entered on the tax
rolls on all taxes remaining unpaid after