Evening star., 1915-12-08

:. ~; As,l2s.as' 1ls,ss7.sso as',ss7' '2s'
ded into the following classes:
First. Those who are Temporarily
pressed financially. and consequently
cannot conveniently part with the
amount of money required to meet this
obligation, and who are willing to
wait and pay the high rate of interest
or. more properly. the penalty In the
hope or with the knowledge that before
IA deed is delivered to the tax-title pur-
chaser they will be able to meet the
obligation. This class already has the
protection necessary to be given in the
present law. which allows two years
from date Of sale In which to redeem
the property before a deed is issued.
/ Second. Non-residents and often resi-
! dents who are not reached by the noti-
fication of special assessments levied
against the property, upon which as
sessment the property is often adver-
tised and sold. This is especially so in
new subdivisions. Recently so pages
were selected from last years tax sale
book. representing largely new sub
divisions, and the following figures
were compiled thefefrom: From 639
parcels listed for sale 3S7 were sold for
the real estate tax alone, 103 we're sold
for both real and special taxes. and
14s were sold for special taxes alone.
! 1t is hardly conceivable that the
owner who has knowledge of a special
| assessment and that his property may
be sold for the special as well as the
real will pay the realty tax and allow
the property to go to sale for the nom
payment Of the special assessment.
1t is believed that this condition could
be improved a great deal IL all real
estate bills could be made to show
whether any special assessment lay
against the property when the bill is
issued.
The third class consists of the deli
! berate tax dodger who has come to
understand that he may be able to
enjoy the privileges of and emoluments
from such ownership for an indefinite
time, because at present the District
Of Columbia or the purchaser of the
tax title seems to have no well defined
way Of taking such an offender into
a court Of equity and having such
claim adjudicated.
Annual Registration of Motor We
hicles.
annual registration of automobiles,
motor cycles and all other motor We
hicles. with an appropriate annual
registration fee.
| There Is at present personal tax
on all automobiles, motor cycles ana
motor vehicles, the owners of which
are required to make a sworn state
ment in July of each year of their
value; and these vehicles are taxed at
! the same rate as other tangible per-
sOnalty.
following May, which is 10 months
from the time the assessment was
levied. and in the meantime a good
many owners have disposed of their
auto vehicles and the District is una Bile
to locate them or collect the taxes
whereas. il the law compelled every
owner Of such vehicles to reg ster
annually, and charged according to
horsepower Of these vehicles. it would
enable the District to obtain a much
greater revenue than is obtained under
the present law. and practically pre-
! clude evasions of payment.
The license charges for autos made
by the two adjacent States are:
! Maryland annually: To 10 horsepower,
IS; to 20 horsepower. $40: to 80 horse
| power. SIS; to 40 horsepower, SEQ;
over 40 horsepower. s25. Deduct at
the rates Of one-twelfth of total for
each month after June ].
Virginia, annually: To 20 horsepower.
80; to ~ horsepower. $40; 45 horse
power and over, $50. pro rata.
The Commissioners also recommend
the annual registration Of motor boats.
| launches and other water craft, which
are becoming more numerous every
year and whose identification is i'm
| portant for the protection of those US
Ing them and others, as well as for
purposes OF revenue to meet the ex-
pense incident to governmental sur
veillance Of their movements in local
| waters.
DIsBURSING OFFICE.
! The disbursing office. to which is in
trusted the handling of the Districts
! funds. expended during the year 1915
the total sum of s11, ,103,6 ,616.12, of which
s2,390.s4 was in cash and the balance
represented by checks.
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DIsEURsI.-
| MENTS.
DIR.
| Credit balance on
| hand July l, 1914. $38, 400. sc
Amount to Official
credit during year
Chicks Cancelled dur
| ing year 1915. ...... 2.SOI91
| ---s11o ,o2s. 4H .Os
| Odcial checks drawn
during year 1915... II, ,103.61G.12
Cnexpended balances
! repaid to United
| States treasurer. 800. $50. A.
| ---- IL, o02, $50 81
| Balance to credit Of disbursing
Offices District Of Columbia,
June 30, 1915. %, Az -
! The total number of checks issued in
payment of contracts, supplies, salaries
paid by checks. etc, was SS,0S2, an in
crease of 9,4S6 over preceding year.
| (By the direction of the Commissioners
employees of the police and fire depart
4 .Ix~.,-