Evening star., 1927-02-16
SENATORS SPONSOR
REVISED TAX SALES
District Supply Bill Hearings
Show Sentiment for I'M
proved Method.

Failure to appropriate for any al
ditional school teachers at TINS tlme
will mean "a considerable hardshlp
to the school system, Stephen
Kramer. first assistant Super1hteilo
ent of schools. told the Senate SUP
committee in charge of the local ap
rronriation bill before the measure
was reported to the Senate wlthou'
provision for the "a new teachers re
Quested.
The printed record of the Senate
hearings on the local supply nlii
made public today, shows the SUB
committee devoted much OF its deiloef,
ations to conditions in the schoo
system and to the necessity or glIlns
property owners proper notice before
selling real estate at auction for non
pa yment of taxes.
Eve can run the schools without
these teachers, but we will run them
by retrenchng," Mr.. Kramer testi
fed, referring to the request for "a
additional instructors. 1--WE shall ne
forced to retrench on lines which we
have embarked upon and which we
believe are for the benefit of the chill
dren."
Aid to Backward.
w hen asked pN SendtOi JoiicS w
Washington to specify some or the
retrenchments. Mr.. Kramer said IL
of the new teachers would be needed
for new buildings that will come into
use before September of this year
and that without them II Will be
necessary to withdraw Is from the
force engaged in coaching backward
children and children who have lost
time through sickness. He said there
are 81 teachers engaged in coaching
work and explained in detail how the
local school system Is endeavoring tc
give special attention to those children
who appear to need it in order to be
successful.
Senator Kendrick Of Wyoming in
dicated he thought this one of the
most important works done in the
schools.
Answering a question by Senator
Capper. Mr.. Kramer said 1t Will be
necessary to withdraw 25 of the 81
coaching teachers for elementary
school work as a result of disallowins
the additional number.
Maps Out Survey.
Senator Phipps. chairman of the
subcommittee, stated yesterday thai
If the survey to be made by the Blu
reau of Efficiency between now ant
next Fall bears out the request of the
school board 70: "a more teachers
they could be provided for in a de
f1ciency bill in December without wait
ing until next year.
The hearings show that the sub
committee outlined to Herbert ID
Brown, director Of the Bureau o
efficiency, just what ground he is Il
cover in the forthcoming survey
While MIR. Brown was before the sub
committee Chairman Phipps made
this statement with relation to {
survey of the need for more teachers
ut appears sometimes as though
certain teachers were assigned Il
these special duties, such as coaching
for instance, a very small number o
pupils, whereas right at the momen
there is a demand for teachers Il
take care of full classes of pupils Il
whom teachers have not been assign
ed. We should want you to go to th'
| full extent of making recommenda
tions on the whole matter of man
agement."
Notice of Taxes.
AT least half of the 10000 parcels
Of real estate sold for non-payment O
taxes in Washington annually woult
never go on the tax collectors auction
| block if owners had adequate notice
that their taxes were due, District of
fcials admitted before the Senate sub
committee.
The printed record Of the hearings
reveals that virtually all the members
of the subcommittee believe the Com
missioners should work out some sys
tenn that will insure notice to prop
erty owners.
AS a result of the hearings the Sen
ate appropriations committee ha!
written into the bill new clause re
quiring the Commissioners to publish
in the newspapers a complete list O.
delinquent properties before they are
sold for taxes. Heretofore the Law
has called for the printing of pam
phlet containing the list and the pub
lication of a small legal notice statins
that the pamphlet is available at tht
District Building.
Twenty Pamphlets Sold.
Testimony at the hearings showed
that prior to the last tax sale only
90 pamphlets were sold, wherea.
there were $4,000 delinquent parcels OF
property to be put on the auction
block.
And. therefore. observed Senator
Glass of Virginia, "they do not ge
any notice in the world that theil
property is to be sold"
Chairman Phipps added that he Ia!
| been trying for four or Ave years t,
get something done on this situation
Senator Phipps further expressed tn,
| opinion that of the 20 tax lis. pam
phlets sold last year probably mos
| of them were bought by spectators
who want to come in and buy thes'
| properties up at tax sale.'
Senator Kendrick asked II so pei
cent of delinquent property sale
would be eliminated by proper motto,
to the taxpayer, to which District Au
| ditor Donovan replied:
Outsiders Get Benefit.
Il should say easily that. l woult
| add this statement for the informa
| ton of the committee, that recentl,
| the Commissioners recommended
| legislation that would cure certain
| defects in our tax sale laws. At tn,
present time there are certain
group of men who come into thu
| District once a year and bid in thi
| property at tax sale. They get {
| tax sale certificate and they are en-
| titled to 12 per cent interest on TIL,
+! money. If at the end of two year:
| the property owner has not re
deemed his property from the ia,
sale, the law gives the holder of thu
tax certificate the right to ask fo
| a tax deed, and the law provides tina
| such tax deed shall convey a fee