Tacoma’s Twenty-Year Tab
The state government threatens legal action over unpaid saloon license fees dating back to 1890.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The state wants that $2,000 which Tacoma owes it. In fact, it is getting particular about it, and Attorney Bell writes to Treasurer Freeland that unless it is paid, the state will sue and collect it. This is real mean. Tacoma forgot to pay over the state's share of saloon licenses away back in 1890 and has forgotten it every year since. The state's money is good, however, and it refuses to admit the account is outlawed. It looks as if that $2,000 would have to be paid.
“Tacoma forgot to pay over the state's share of saloon licenses away back in 1890 and has forgotten it every year since.”
Municipal budget crises and disputes over tax revenue sharing remain a staple of Washington politics. While the state's aggressive pursuit of decade-old license fees feels petty, it underscores the persistent friction between local autonomy and state-level fiscal oversight.
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