Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-14
COOLING FIELD DSSECTS PUBLIC FINANCES BEFORE AID CLUB

, rules and methods OF efficiency that
prevail IN private business, We could
, readily save sufficient funds in Ha-
, Wdii and Oahu which would make a
good showing on the upkeep Of our
roads, although We shall be compelled
to raise some extra revenue TO meet
| urgent needs. For lack of informa-
ton as TO operating costs, ] am I'M
able to make comparisons of OUTLAWS
and results on the other islands
How Old Order Of Things Could be
Changed.
have heard il claimed that We are
powerless TO ensure the election to
office of experienced business men.
due TO the pTeponderance of the ma
tive vote. As soon as we can con
vince the Hawaiian laborcr-and he
can be convinced-that, by placing
his vote for the business candidate.
he will be guaranteed steady road
employment, instead of only spasmo-
die employment during the period OF
an election campaign. to exc out an
existence the balance of the year,
the sooner will the old order OF
things be changed.
| do not wish il understood that
there is call for economy in our
county governments alone. In our
territorial departments, the costs. of
operation. on current account, have
jumped from $l.270,459 in 1906, to
81 .697 ,025 in 1918, an increase of 1857
per cent in eight years. The sum of
$1l 1888, 900 was diSbursed. to run the
general government offices and
schools of the territory for these
years. These expenditures are gov
erned by legislative enactment, sub
ject to the governors veto, but be-
cause these expenditures have been
lawful, it is no criterion that the
maximum of economy has been
reached F..
Cost to Assess and Collect Taxes
Excessive.
am convinced, after an eXamina-
ton which | eecently made of our
present system of assessing and COZ
lecting taxes, that the present cost to
run this branch of our territorial
government is excessive. Basing my
opinion on the operation of the Ho-
nolulu tax offi<e. would state that
there is much duplication OF work,
through an inadequate system of val
uations; antiquated bookkeeping, and
lack of efficiency in office routine
generally. ....
$4,000 Annually Wasted in Honolulu
Tax Office. .....: '.. . r.
From 1906 to 1913, it cost the ter.
ritory to assess and collect taxes the
sum of $550,643, or an average per-
centage of 2.75 of the amount of
taxes collected. In 1913 the sum OF
$7S,086 was expended in the territory
for this class of work. There were
employed in the Honolulu tax office
during the month of June this year
"a slack month-19 men, with pay
roll amounting to S2,367.50, not in
Guiding the salary of the collector,
making an annual pay roll on this
monthly average of approximately
$3l,500 Instead of the 10 men so en-
ployed the office staff could be re.
duced to seven employees, making a
saving in the local office in salaries
alone of $4,000 per annum. The Ho-
nolulu tax office handles about 80 per
cent of all income taxes collected in
the territory. From 80 to 95 per cent
of all income taxes could be paid di.
rect to the territory instead of dupli-
eating remittances through the local
offices to the territory. II copies of
assessments made on the outer
islands were sent direct to the Homo.
lulu office, all taxes could be collect,
ed and RENTED direct to the Honolu-
In office OF all the corporations do:
ing business in the territory, at least
so per cent have their head offices in
Honolulu, from whom all necessary
information could be obtained as af
fecting their taxes paid BY doing
business with these concerns at their
home office the making of collections
to the other islands could be elimin. |
ated. Frequently remittances have
been made to the Honolulu office for
outside districts, which, under the