Evening star., 1936-05-28
BLOW TO Be AIMED
At BROKERS WHO
GRAB PROPERTIES
Officials Seek to End Un.
limited Penalties Now
Permissible.
COURT ATTACHMENTS
USE MAY BE EXPANDED
Creation of Division of Accounts
to Supply One Statement to
Each Owner Weighed.
BY DON S. WARREN.

|
Reorganization of the Districts tax
collection machinery to create a spe-
cial tax accounting division, in q
move to improve tax collections, is
being favorably considered by the
special committee named recently by
the Commissioners to study tax de-
linquencies, it was revealed today.
While finding that the District has
better record in realty tax collec-
tions than many other large cities,
the committee is considering expan-
| sion of use of court attachments to
force payment of personal property
levies.
Plans considered by the group,
which is headed by Maj. Daniel ].
Donovan, District auditor. were dis
closed today by Commissioner Hazen
in a report of the committees first
meeting.
Elimination of professional tax
brokers from the realty tax collection
| machinery and leaving only the Dis
trict government with the right to
buy tax deeds" as lien against prop
critics for non-payment of taxes pre-
viously had been listed as one of the
major proposals likely to come from
the committee.
Unlimited Penalties Allowed Now.
The study was precipitated by at
tacks by members of the House Dis
trict Committee on the activities Of
professional tax brokers, who now may
collect unlimited penalties from de-
linquent taxpayers when they seek to
redeem their properties on which the
brokers have paid the overdue taxes.
Creation of division of tax ac-
counts was suggested by Mai. Dono-
van, who protested that taxpayers now
have to go to number of different
offices in order to get bills for the va
rious taxes. Realty tax bills are COM
piled in one Office, personal property
taxes in another division, special as
sessments in still another and bills
for taxes in arrears are prepared in
still another.
The proposal is that in creating tax
accounting division property owner
could go to one Office and obtain all
bills on one statement
25 to 50 Per Cent Boost Seen.
William L. Beale, representative of
| the Board OF Trade, declared he be-
lieved such a system probably would
result in collection of IS to so per
cent more personal tax levies.
Experts on accounting are to be
heard by the committee as it continues
studies of the proposed changes.
Only in a comparatively few in
stances has the District invoked at
tachment proceedings in efforts to
force payment of personal property
taxes. Committee discussions indicate
1t may recommend an expansion of
this practice.
Reports show that at the end of the
fiscal year 1885 there was a delin-
! quency of 13 per cent on a levy of
| S973,896. The delinquency is greatly
reduced in later years. records show,
but committee members believe the
| record at the end of each fiscal year
could be improved
The District, however, holds a bet
ter than average record for realty
tax collections, according to data OBJ
tanned from the National Economy
League, Western Pennsylvania branch.
Delinquency Here Cut.
This report shows the average realty
tax delinquency for 25 cities having
population of 100000 or more was
1888 per cent for 1882, 2l91 per cent
for 1888 and 1859 per cent for 1894.
For the District the percentages were
1884 per cent for 1882, 1913 per cent
for 1888 and 1882 per cent for 1884.
While the realty tax delinquency for
the District at the end of the fiscal
year 1885, or on last June 80, was
11.88 per cent, this had been reduced
to ninth-tenths Of 1 per cent by
March l, 1886, records show.
In addition to Maj. Donovan and
Mr.. Beale, other members of the COM
mittee are Tax Assessor Fred Allen,
Tax Collector O. M. Towers, Acting
Corporation Counsel Vernon e. West,
Rufus S. Lusk, representing the Wash
ington Taxpayers Protective Associa-
ton; Harold E. Doyle, representing the
Washington Real Estate Board. and
Thomas z. Lodge, president, FEEDER
alton of Citizens Associations.