Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-27
HARRISBURG TAX COLLECTION


lNF course 1t is too late to talk about
~ a change in the system of tax
| collection for another period OF
two years, or during the term of the
present City Treasurer. 1t Is not too
soon. however, to begin a serious
consideration or this important mat
ter. Twice Senator Beidleman has
introduced in the Legislature a bill
creating the office of Receiver of
Taxes, but with discouraging regular
| ity the lawmakers have refused to
obliterate the present obsolete and ex-
travagant laws regulating the collec-
ton of taxes. Few taxpayers really
understand how expensive the present
system is and how inconvenient and
unbusinesslike.
Under the present system it costs
Harrisburg over s22, 900 to gather in
the city. school and county taxes every
year 1t is the opinion of those who
are familiar with the system that at
least $4,000 in round figures could
be saved annually without in the least
impairing the efficiency of the tax col
lection department. Surely this is
sum sufficiently large to justify serious
consideration of the matter.
Under the present arrangement the
City Treasurer receives salary of
$1,000 and the commissions in 1914
were on city taxes s6,1 40, on school
taxes $6,S00, a total of S14,440, and
there was paid to the collectors OF
county taxes in Harrisburg SS,125,
total of salary and commissions of
S22,565. In addition to this amount
the Commonwealth paid for the col
lection of State tax on loans $1,000.
a grand stotal of $24, ,465 for gathering
in the taxes. This is a pretty stiff fig
ure for services which do not involve
anything more than expert clerical
ability even though the City Treasurer
pays his clerks from this.
1t is pointed out that repeal by the
Legislature of the several acts of as
sembly now governing tax collection
would effect a tremendous saving
through the cutting out of a large per-
centage for collecting the taxes.
Through the proposed creation of a
receiver of taxes, whose duties 1t
would be to collect all city, school,
county and State taxes, the whole
operation will be more economical and
convenient. 1t has been suggested that
there should be an allowance of say
81. 900 as salary for the City Treasurer.
who should be designated as the re-
ceiver of taxes, a chief clerk at $1,000,
four additional clerks at $1,000 and
one additional clerk at 5000, making
a total of $4,000. which would rep
resent the expenses of a department
fully organized for this important
work. There should also be deducted
from the total of $1,000 the sum of
81, 900 paid by the State for collecting
the tax on loans. This would go to
the city and would mean a net cost
to Harrisburg of $4,000 per annum in
stead of s22.565, an actual annual
saving of s1S,265.
For years there has been talk of
changing the laws and providing for
receiver of taxes for cities of the
third class, but the old theory of pat
ronage at the expense of the tax
payers has restrained the lawmakers
from doing what is manifestly the
right thing to do. Nobody censures
the official or officials who may be
benefited through the operation of the
law. They are entitled to their legal
compensation, but 1t is the fault of
the people themselves If they permit
such a system to go on indefinitely.
We believe the third class city au-
thorities should make stand at the
next session of the Legislature so firm
that the desired changes will be grant
ed. We know of no better way to get
at the facts than through the provi-
sions of bill now in the Governors
hands providing for the collection of
statistical information of cities of the
third class through the Department of
Labor and Industry. So long as the
people are ignorant of the real condi-
tions they are not likely to demand a
change, but with the facts before
them, there will be little time lost in
forcing legislation that would mean
economy and convenience for all tax
payers.
A man who voted for the nomination
of woodrow Wilson at Baltimore,
yesterday was given fat Government
Job In Philadelphia. From the number
of national delegates who have been
so rewarded 1t would seem that what
ever faults the President may have
displayed since his election, ingratitude
is not one of them Apparently every
Baltimore delegate is to have a Govern
ment position. This ought to make DR..
Wilson pretty popular at the next
| Democratic convention.
What DIR. Dernberg is thinking Just