Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-07

I
Penalties and Interest. s,4ss.Oe
| Miscellaneous collec-
lions ................ Sl,7O4.9O
7o,s1os5
Repayments to appro-
! priations s.6so.47
| Aggregate NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 7S,S6l.5z
! Net decrease, l3s, 121. "a
The inability of the District of CO.
influence of that defect in hindering the
enforcement of the payment Of overdue
taxes, which has been brought to the
attention of Congress in previous reports,
| and for which remedial legislation has
repeatedly been recommended by the
Commissioners. is still an obstacle to
clearing the tax records OF arrears OF
taxes. The Commissioners hope that the
needful legislation in that respect will be
speedily enacted.
Prorating Of Personal Tax on Bush
The recommendation Of the collector of
taxes and the assessor that legislation
authorizing the prorating Of assessment
for personal taxes on the various classes
Of private business, where the person as
sessed has been in business for only
a part Of the license year, seems based
minstration of this branch Of the reve-
|nue-collection service. Under the present
law a person in business must pay a
personal tax for the whole year. although
he may have been conducting business
for only small fraction of that period,
while the purchaser Of the business from
one who has so paid personal tax at
the beginning of a year may continue the
business during the remainder Of the
year without payment of a tax upon it
1t is often impracticable to collect a tax
for the entire year from merchants who
have discontinued business after operat-
ing for fraction of a license year, but
from whom the tax for the period they
were actually in business might be readi-
ly obtained.
Discussing Office.
The disbursng Office, to which is in
trusted the handling of the Districts
fund, expended during the year 1914 the
total sum of s1O.76s,294.2 Of which 81,
326. S92.e1 was in cash and the balance
represented by checks.
The total amount placed during the
year to the credit Of the disbursing Of
ficer was s11, 203. 2205S, which. added to
the balance from the preceding year to
his credit July 1, 1913. viz. SGT, 90,
the year 1914. viz. $4.640.19. made a
grand total credit Of $11.276. 312.72. De-
Quoting the amount Of official checks
drawn against this sum, as evidenced
by audited vouchers of record, viz; s1o.-
76s.294.2O. and the uneXpended balances
repaid to the several funds with the
treasurer of the United States, viz,
$47O,60s.96, left a balance to the credit
of the disbursing officer June 80, 1914,
of s36.409.56
The total number of checks issued
in payment of contracts. merchants
bills for supplies, salaries paid by
check. etc, was 1856. an increase Of
2,022 over the number for the year
salaries. witnesses and Jurors fees,
10000 in number and s2.s26. 1921
in amount. OF this large num-
Der of checks, a great many of
which were intrusted to the mails.
but investigation disclosed that in
eight of these cases the original checks
had been lost or destroyed by the re-
cipients, while the other two had been.
apparently, lost in the mails. Included
in the above total Of checks issued
were payments made to officials and
teachers of the public schools, officers
and members of the police and fire de-
partments, and employees of the sew
eral charitable institutions Of the Dis
trict, aggregating about $500 checks
per month.
AS part of the precaution looking to-
ward the accurate and honest admin
istration of the disbursing office may
ba mentioned daily balance. audited
and approved by the District auditor,
a general monthly closing of all ac-
counts Of moneys advanced to the dis
bursting officer on account Of the vari-
Gus appropriations, trust funds, and
special funds, the bonding Of the entire
official and clerical force, a close audit
by the District auditor. and a final
revi/w by the United States Treasury
officials. 1t is gratifying to report that
no loss has occurred through miscal-
culation or error of identification, and
that the records of disbursements have
successfully passed audit and examina-
ton without loss by disallowance for
technical or other reasons.
Every effort is made by the dis
bursting office to promptly pay mer-
chants and contractors bills against
the District and the salaries Of the
more than 5000 employees Of the Dis
trict government.
Purchasing Officer.
Through this division purchase is
made of all supplies and materials used
by the District government
The total expenditures for the year
ended June 30. 1914, amounted to
s1,64s.55s.59. embracing supplies and
materials of every conceivable nature,
follows:
Construction materials used in
sewer. road and street work. $541, $50. "a
Hardware, plumbing supplies,
paints oils, lumber. .............. 1856, 1871 SO
Forage. including livery and horse ,-'@
snoeinS ...........s.s... l49,0lOSl
Food supplies. lie, 1919
plies ........:............. 4s.s7s.3s
equipment .-.............. ........ 4s,5ol 81
Stationery Al, 46S. Il
Lighting service for District In
stitutions Observation-Disclosures. 1882 60
Fire-fghtins apparatus and supplies. 80, 1853. SO
Mac inery, engines, boilers and re-
pairs thereto. ...............:..... $500 42
Printing, engraving, binding, blank
Dry goods, boots and shoes. 30, 75647
Vehicles, including those motor
driven ~, 4o6 30
Electrical supplies. .-.......:..... 1880 66
Drugs, chemicals, hospital, biolog-
icaI and laboratory suppiies...... 230ee 81
Horses and mules. Observation-Disclosures. 100000
Postage ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. II, 1O487
Saddlery Observation-Disclosures. 1013577
Transportation Observation-Disclosures. 1907 10
Laundry Observation-Disclosures. $3.50 IA