Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-19
URGES PROMPT RENEWAL
OF BUSINESS LICENSES
State AUDITORS Office Issues Warming
Against LaNity III Enforce
mcnt of Inv.
MANY REMAIN IN ARREARS
Aim Now Is 20 Save TO State Large
Sums Lost by Reason of Months
of Delay in Collecting TaNcs-Un-
due Lcniency Thing Of Past.

! Bulletins which Will so forward to-
day from the state Auditors office to
the commissioners of the revenue and
treasurers OF the State. draw at;en-
;!on - a prevailing laxi,y In the en-
forcement OF ;he law requiring every
person or firm engaged in any bust
ness or profession to take ont a new
license on May /. Officers are given
pointed notice that she Auditor OF Pub
lie Accouts Will insist on rigid OBJ
course 10 the machinery of enforce
men; wherever the law is not prompt
~ observed
Continuance. without license, on and
after May !, 1916. OF n business. en-
ployment or profession licensed for the
preceding license year which ended
April so 1916, or commencing such bust
ness or profession without license. sub
jects the. person or firm so engaged to
prosecution and fine for doing business
without license and the law makes i,
the duty of the Commissioner OF the
Revenue to assess double the license
tax imposed on such business and
makes il the duty of county and city
! treasurers 20 collect q double license
tax.
In the past the local taxing officers
have followed a lenient policy in the
matter OF assessing and collecting
license taxes. In Richmond the taxing
period seldom passes without 600 10 500
delinQuents on the list. Similar con-
ditions obtain IN other cities and towns
OF the State. These delnquents fire.
quenly remain In arrears for several
months and pay only when proceedings
, are brought against them in the courts,
under indictments returned by the
grand Jury.
EFFORT TO SAVE MONEY
FOR THE COMMONWEALTH
II is the aim OF the Auditors Office
now to discourage this lax practice and
| save TO the State the large sums that
are now lost by reason Of the months
OF delay in getting license taxes which
| should be paid on May l. The new
! bulletin issued by Auditor Moore on
! this subject reminds the commissioner
and treasurers OF their responsibility
in this language:
The practice Of allowing licensed
| businesses, employments or professions.
10 he conducted without the license re-
| CURED by law is contrary 20 law and
/ should not be permitted by officers
whose duty II Is 20 see that licenses
are procured for the conduct of such
businesses. Taxing officers have no
authority to grant indulCcnces In these
respects and are not only responsible
upon their official bonds FOR any loss
the State may suffer because OF such
Indulgence. but also are removable
from office for This malfeasance in Of
/ flee
I II must urGe all commissioners of
the revenue 10 see that the laws Of this
Stat respecting the Issuing OF licenses
are observed and complied with and
TO caution them that they must not
allow the conduct of businesses. en-
Payments o. professions without tho
license required by law, and IL the
persons. firms and corporations en-
raccd in such businesses do not com,
ply with the requirements Of the Law,
INC; must be reported TO the attorneys
for the Commonwealth for prosecution
for violation OF the law, and the com
nissIoners must assess against such
persons or firms n double annual
license tax and place the assessments
in the hands OF the county and city
tTcasnrers for collection by levy. dis
trcss etc"