New Britain herald., 1919-03-11
.UNCOLLECTED TAXES
 AN IMPORTANT ITEM
Tax Collector BernadOtte LOomiS Explains Situation Carefully
TELLS OF FORECLOSURES
Has Already Secured Settlement in 23 Cases Where Taxes Had Not Been Paid in Many Ncars--Adds $50, 900 in Five Years.

Paid in Many Ncars-Adds $5O, ,0O0
 in Five Years.
 Since the last budget of the Tax payers association has appeared It has been learned that the budget gals for the collection of S6S,OoV worth of back taxes. To those who know about tax collections this mas seemed an impossibility and a state ment from Tax Collector Bernadotte LOomis which appears below, Would bear this out. MT. LoOmis tells In a very clear and interesting manner tlle entire matter of tax collections Ill tlla city. He admits that the collectloh ol back taxes is a hard and difficult tash which requires time and cannot pe Zone in one year. This statenle1lI' u correct, VII make it appear certain that under the 21 mill budget the cltH will have to borrow at lease $bS'ooV and possibly $30,0O0 which has been figured on from liquor licenses Which may also be unfruitful. That Wouiu make total of $9S,0O0 when the city might have to borrow before it A starts on it's fiscal year. one ol tue 7 members of the Taxpayers Assocla-
  another city meeting to appropriate more money if the 21 mill budget does not suffice. One of the packers of the 25 mills rate asked him what good 1t would do to call another meeting and probably in the end have moro than the 25 mill rate for the year. The @yNaxpavers' man said that he ShOuid think the money could be collected from back taxes and he further sald that a man should be put into once 4 who could collect the taxes. Ills ldea was that if the tax collector was so careful to get the taxes from all as he was from him there would be very few uncollected taxes in the city Explains Back Taxes.
 : The statement from MT. Looms : follows:
 The uncollected taxes as they stood in April, 1914, when l took othce' anu Anri1 1918. which is the last com plete report, were as follows: Apri'' , 1914: taxes, S223,760.19; sewer S44,- o6231: street improvement, S16,- 3Sq19: street sprinllling, S2,974.o9; total. S287,3S62S. April. 1918, taxes s123.5o8.79: sewer, $3o, ,o49.49; street improvement, s12,73250; street sprinkling, s1,SS6.13; total Sl6s,- 176.9I. During the year 1917 the com mon council ahated about S1o,ooo m old military. poll and uncollectable taxes. which accounts for large part of the reduction on the city's tax sc- - count Although I have collected III tho mast five years S50,000 more than the rate books called for, it does not reduce the uncollected taxes S5o,oou' as about s8,O00 year of the coilec- -tions is interest which does not al feet the principal.
 Two Foreclosures Brought. - "Of the back taxes due it should be a noted that $9S,957.98 are for l91 |, 1916 and 1915; and only $34,55o.9l $1 for all years back of those dates. The oldest book which is not clear of pack taxes is that of the year 1897. When s T took office they ran pack 10 lo9O' therefore during my term seven years were cleared up for good. The books from 1897 to 1905 have but little taxes unpaid on them, but they are ~ not vet quite clear and l have one p case now in the city court in my effort to clear up all the back taxes. Dur :, ing. my term as collector l have fore closed and sold to the highest bidder two pieces of property, one on Chap man street and the other on Ruther. ford avenue.
 
 AnroDertv I have notified the mort rageo every year if the taxes arc owed for at least two years. some banks and representatives come tt my office yearly to find out how thei pieces of property stand. nave always been willing to give this kint of informal to those interested.
 felt that I had crowded the delinQuen taxpayers rather hard, but l know fhey can be pushed still further l the collector thinks it wise to do so '% have made it a practice not to ad yertise the delinquents and have evel had q deputy sheriff serve the levie rather than myself, as I felt that { man of experience would gain nor than 1 possibly could.
 Gets 23 Settlements.
 "In 1915 a law was passed tha tax liens would outlaw after 5 years - and at that time I started about 2 foreclosure suits to protect the city intMests where the liens had beel running more than that period o time These were all taken care o with the exception of the two case which I have before mentioned There will always be some who can keep their taxes Up to date and
 don't think it would be fair to fore close on man plop0i'S '0Ncc''0 a- his taxes had run two or three year behind. We have our liens on tn property and the taxes come ahea ? of the mortgages and thus the city safe on the real estate end Of 1t. Per sonal property has to he Watche
 more closely, as we haven't the pro lection on that. During my term
 have tried to keep the personal prop erty taxes within q one year period. >- "The people of the city should bea deeply in mind that the Fl mill budg