The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-03-12
and qual,aea..

and qualihcdr
Now the City Treasurer has been
appointed for four years on a salary
Of s%t;5oo.oO per year and his term
will expire Dec. s1st 1917. or about
one month after tliee discount period
on the 1917 taxes, leaving many
thousands of dollars Of uncollected
taxes not only for the year 1917 but
the three previous years. OF course
he gives a bond for the faithful per-
Torrance Of his duty during the four
years, and should there be a change
of administration which would like
ly change the City Treasurer or even
he should fail to be reappointed, as
it, is now arranged by the Board Of
Affairs ard in accordance with the
charter a new Treasurer will be ap-
pointed whose duty It will be to take
charge Of his predecessors uncollect-
ed taxes on a salary basis rs is now
|in'eifect, thus relieving that old
Tfeas. gof any and all responsibility
gnd. the city be eompelled to- stand
the loss Of many thousands OF dollars
that could be, collected If the-intent
and purpose of the charter was. car
ried out,
Section. "a of;the charter provides
how the taxes are to be collected but
by the arrangement or plan put into
effect by the Board of Affairs IT will
be impossible to proceed In accord
ance with section seventy-four.
Section "a says::! All taxes,
whether assessed upon realty or
personality or otherwise may be n
forced and collected in the same
manner and by the same remedies MS
is now or may be hereafter be pro-
rided by law for the enforcement OF
liens and levies for state ard county
taxes. or in such manner as the
Board of Affairs may be ordinance
prescribe. And in levying for taxes
and collection thereof, and the re-
turn of property delinquent for non
payment Of taxes, the duties OF the
City Clerk shall! be similar to tho
duties of. the county, clerk of, Marion
County in that behalf; tho duties Of
the Treas. in the. collection Of taxes,
licenses, and moneys due the city ana
accounting. for the same and the re-
turn Of property delinquent for the
nonpayment Of taxes, shall be similar
to- the duties Of the sheriff of Marion
county: except, the board of affairs
may make such regulations and ordi7
nances prescribing the duties of tho
city clerk and city treasurer and
their manner of performance as the
board may deem necessary. And tho
board shall, through itself and such
officers and employees as It may ap-
point 70 employ under such rcgula-
tions and ordinances as 1t may enact
mot contrary to the laws OF the
state), having such authority ard
power as may be necessary for tho
levying and collection OF taxes.
tithables. fines, licenses, sewer and
paving assessments owing the city,
with power and authority to enforce
the collection of such fines by impfis-
(opment in the city and county jaf.
I'm order to carrydout the provi-
tsioes of this section our taxes should
Ebe collected in -the-same ~way-and.
Eiltanner as the sheriff collects tho
county and state taxes The treasT
ti'rer should disappointed FOR tlle four
years, be paid a commission and
personally held responsible for the
taxes placed in his hands, receiving
Il credit for his delinqu Mt and in all
manner carried on the same rs that
of the sheriff of the county. After
he serves his four year term it will
take him another year to make his
final settlement, and will the board
of affairs pay him his salary of ST.
10000 per for a year after his term
expires. as well as $1,5O0.00 salary
to the incoming Treasurer, or in 9TH
,er words when will he come to the
end Of his term and the next Treas.
urer take hold? and what will be-
come Of the uncollected taxes? With
our taxes placed in the hands Of a
clerk on a salary basis, it is reason
able to sunnnse that he Is NOT going