Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1908 — MUST COLLECT’EM [ARTICLE]

MUST COLLECT’EM

Says the Court to County Treasurer Allman. SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS. OF CITY * Are Part of His Duties According to Decision of Judge Hanley In Friendly Suit. The friendly suit instituted by the Qty of Rensselaer pn an agreed statement of facts regarding the collection of special assessments of the city, against County* Treasurer Allman, was decided by Judge HanIdy Saturday, the court holding that it was a part of the treasurer’s duties to collect said special assessment taxes without extra compensation. For several years it had been the custom of the city to pay extra for collecting such taxes, and several hundred dollars have been paid out illegally to former treasurers for such work. The Democrat protested some two years ago paying a claim of this kind, on the gorunds that it was illegal, and a decision of the supreme court was cited in support of that contention. The matter was referred to the city attorney for an opinion, and he informed the council that it had no authority to pay, and the claim was dismissed. In' the Cities and Towns law of 1906 the legislature stated specifically that such taxes should be collected by the county treasurer as a part of his regular duties, but on advice of the county attorney, Abe Halleck, we understand, Mr. Allman thought he was not compelled to do the work without extra compensation, and the above suit was filed by the city several months ago for the purpose of getting a decision In the matter, with the above result We are not advised as to whether an appeal will be taken to the supreme court by the county treasurer, but the general opinion is that it will not be. •Through an overalght(f ) no doubt the Rensselaer Republican in its “resume of the court proceedings for the term,” made no mention whatever of this case.