Evening star., 1937-07-22
determine the amount OF his debt to
the Government

determine the amount Of his debt to
the Government.
To improve further the efficiency Of
the assessors and tax collectors office,
the committee recommended the in
stallation Of modern business ma
chinery, which would do away with the
necessity for slow hand work now
employed. The machines would cost
$500, however, and there is no posi-
bility Of obtaining them until next
year.
When the machines are installed,
the committee reported, it would be
possible to reduce the staff in the as
SCISSORS Office, but Donovan said such
reduction would be made impossible
If the pending tax bill is passed. Com
plex taxes proposed in the bill will re-
quire the employment Of additional
clerks even after the machines are in
stalled, he said.
Outstanding among the other COM
mittee recommendations requiring
legislative action are those which would
empower the Commissioners to waive
interest and penalties on unpaid taxes,
restrict public inspection Of tax records
and change current penalty rates for
tax delinquency.
Property Eaten Up"
The Commissioners should be given
power to waive interest and penalties,
the committee reported, because for
various reasons taxes have been al
lowed to remain unpaid for so long that
in some cases interest and penalties
equal the value Of the property. The
owner. therefore, refuses to pay any
taxes, but would pay if they were re-
duced below the value of his property,
the committee points out, and adds:
The granting of this request would
be good business administration on the
part Of the District, since the District
would receive at least the. taxes and
assessments due and the property
would again become tax productive"
The recommendation to restrict pub
lie inspection Of tax records was the
only one that failed to receive the un-
animous Endorsement of the commit
tee. The committee urged that exist
ing law be amended so as to procde
merely that the assessor shall give
information with respect to taxes, spe-
cial assessments and valuations to all
persons having an interest in the
property with respect to which such
information is requested"
Public handling of the records Is
not desirable under the present sys-
tenn, the committee contended, "for
the reason that 1t is possible for one
inspecting the records to make changes
therein"
Lodge Opposes Restriction.
Thomas Lodge, president of the
Federation OF Citizens Associations
and its representative on the commit
tee, voted against placing any prohi-
bition upon the accessibility of the
public to the records, irrespective of
whether or not any individual may
have any interest in the property in
respect to which he desires informa-
ton"
The committee recommended that
penalties on tax sale purchases,
whether the property is bought in by
the District or by third party, be
l per cent month. At present pri-
Vate purchasers are allowed to charge
II per cent interest year, while the
District is limited to an 8 per cent
interest charge.
Abandonment Of the present prac-
tice of selling tax deeds originally
purchased by the District at private
sales to private purchasers was urged
by the committee 1t contended that
all tax delinquent property sold by
the District should be offered at pub
lie sales. advertised in advance, which
would not be held more than twice
year.
The committee is of the opinion
that non-judicial sales Of property for
the non-payment of real estate taxes
should be abolished" the report said
Would Abide by Law.
The committees position, its repor,
said, is that collection of delinquent
taxes should be enforced solely ir
accordance with the method pre-.