Minutes 03/14/1933 - Laserfiche WebLink

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This duplicate tax st~o is the copy from which the office force does its posting. When the land book h~s been posted, also the back tax book, the daily report made, then the taxpayer has been given his credit on permanent records I ~on~t believe Mr. Anderson~would be able to find the stubs Of any Collector who has preceded me. The vau~t in the office is a very small storeroom and for lack of space it was necessary and has alw~besn customary, after sufficient audit, to destroy office work- ing stdbSo These accoun~s~n question had gone through two'audits by men employed by the City for that purpose~ W.P. Jordan & 0o., and J.A.D. 'Parrish, and of course, as the Oounei! is well aware, Portsmouth has on her own payroll an Auditor, and it is'his duty at all times to keep an accurate check on all records in the Collector's office. He knew from his daily report ex- actly the amount of penalty and interest collected each day. It may be possible to ascertain from him concerning wo~k in the Colleotor, s office. Does this Council have any record of any report from him that the work was not being carried on exactly as it should have been? If such has been the case then I as Collector have never received such notice. It does seem strange that our Auditor did not detect any errors until detailed on this special search by the City Manager. May I repeat to this Council that the only stubs destroyed were those which have always been t reared thus and may I impress upon you the fact that when I left the office of City Collector there still remained an accurate record of each paid-up t~x account!~ T~e City Manager is quo~ed as saying, ,As to rates and adjustments on Water bills, I discovered that the Collect. or was deciding adjustments. I stopp§d it and ordered the Oity Collector to pass these on te me." I have never received an order from the City Manager pro- hibiting me from making adjustments on water bills. The fact of the matter is that adjustments on water accounts are necessary in many cases. In the case of leaks, an over-read meter or for other reasons, it is only right to give the consumer any possible consideration for waste of water beyond his control. It is just as necessary to use judgment in water adjustments, after a meter has been read and the consumer automatically charged, as it is to cor~ider con- ditions in making a penalty relief. I am sure the Supt. of the Water Department will bear me out in this statement. I believe, too, that I state a fact when I say that be£cre the accounting branch of the Tater Dept. was transferred to the Collector, s office, the matter cf adjustments in w~ter bills was. left entirely to the judgment of the Supt. without interference from any City Mana- ger. Of course there are al~ys a few people who feel that they should appeal to_the City Manager. They have that right and it has never been my disposition to-keep any citizen from. such a conference. It is true too that I have refused to give credits after having sent an inspector to make a thorough investigation of the case in question. It is also true that in some cases the Manager has sent an order for an adjustment after I had refused. I remember one particular case where the inspection had been mad~ and because it did not reveal any reason to me for an adjustment to the consumer's satisfaction, he appealed to the Manager, who made an inspection himself of the plumbing, and finally the consumer re- ceived a paid in full receipt'at his own figures. As to the ~ount of adjustments, the Manager is quoted as saying "That the total adjustments since he had been in office since Oct. 1st, had been under $50, while before he became City Manager they amounted to that much per month. F~g~es show that since October 1st t~e total credits on water accounts has been ~6.56, with ~6.86 for the month ef February alone. Below is a classification of the tickets presented to this Council at its last meet- ing. They have been placed in general g~oups. It is not my disposition tc use the name of each taxpayer whose tickets are here; however since I have nc.reason or desire to wXthhold ei- ther a name or information, a more detailed discussion is e~tirely within the pleasure of this Body. Those whose checks were in office before Nov. 30th and were held until date on stub ................................... -- --- - -- - ..... ........ $ 11, 75.15 Cheeks that cane through mail and were accepted .............. ~83.10 Because of transfers, questions of title; reasons beyond tax- payer' s control ..................... 495.56 Oustomers who gave reasons across counter for penalty relief .... ?60.86 Taxpayers who became confused by S~ate date- Notice in Paper. Col- lector called Man,get to have newspaper notice corrected ............... 2,2?2.25 Taxes held up pending Court orders to correct erroneous as- sessments .............................................. ~-- - ~--- ~-~ 2,509.51 Personal Property, located at assembling of new assessment ---~ 3%1o Errors and office oversights .............................. $ 19,z 7 77 But be that as it may, I will not take more of your time. May I ~hank you again for this privilege of stathlng my case before you and at the same time before the people of Portsmouth, whom I have tried to serve. And may I repeat that I have done nothing of which I am ashamed, nothing for which I can not give you a reason. I have performed my duty as I saw it. I did not know how to do more. I thank you~" Motion of Mr. Ogg that Mise. Huteheson, s statement be accepted as satisfactory to the Council, was withdrawn by him .... Motion of Mr. Fox that the recommendation of the Manager, which reads as follows: "I recommend that these tickets be turned over to the City Attorney w~th instructions that the penalty and interest due be collected, if collectible according to law~ and that the Attorney report back to the Council" wac adopted, and-by the following vote: Ayes - Brooks, Fox, Hutchins, Mayo,~pore, Oast, Ogg - 7. Nays - None.