The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-08-17
From The Dayton Empire.


An erroneous opinion has been gainlnI
ground IN various quarters Of tn
State, respecting The amount of taxes 10 b
levied his year for State purposes, in com
palison wnh the rate heretofore assessed
Instead Of being an Increase, it is al
KciuaI reduction Of lhree-ienlhs Of a mil
on the dollar from 1851.
For hat year, which was the last o
Auditor Woods administration Of The
State Finances, il was as follows:
The principle and interest Of the State
debt and expenses Of the
Stale government, $40 mill:
In 1852, for the same,
Ia 1853, for the same,
II must be remarked here, that unless
the three and three. tenth mills in 1851,
there accrued a deficit in the revenues Of
$22c.0 25 which had TO be made up by the
Legislature Of '52.
We have seen an excellent article upon
his-suhIeci, in the Ohio State Democrat,
the first number Of which has just been
issued at Columbus, in which we find the
following extract from Auditor Woods an
hual report TO the Legislature:-
"'rhe attention of the General Assem-
bly, has frequently been called TO his in
c~reasing deficit. Had not the money sub
jeci to the control of the Fund Commits
sioners been permitted to remain in the
Treasury TO meet this deficit, the Bills FOR
D.
the ordinary expenditures of the Slate
government, would have been protested"
Thus, although this deficit, Of more
than a quarter of a million of dollars, has
been provided for, the rate of State levy
has been reduced at The same time, nearly
a third of a mill.
II has been stated, and currently, too,
that The sum Of s~2.3l6,3l5 was appropri.
sted for the year 1853; but when ii is re-
menbered that the interest upon the Stale
debt consumed Sl,025, 597-49 of this
sum, and then S~770.574-06 was appro.
pr,aied TO reduce The priucipl incluling a
small amount for the necessary expenses
Of the Fund Commissioners, il will be
perceived only about S5OO,000 rcmains.
This includes, too, an appropriation of
Sl25,000 TO the new State House.
Assuming then the actual expenses cf
the State government, exclusive Of apprO.
I%riaIiOns on account Of the Public Debt
and Stale House, at even 100000, and
the levy Of four 6(Ihs of a mill on the
dollar is all that is required 10 deGray these
expenses! This, TOO, is upon the estimate
Of 500 millions as the amount Of proper.
~ Of all descriptions 10 Ohio subject to
taxation. The levy this year, iot general
revenue purposes, is one mill.
We have said nothing Of the School Tax.
This tax, which is iWO mills 90 the dollar,
under the provision of the late School
Law, goes into tie State Treasury, to be
disburscd thence % he vari ,us counties. in
fnuporlion 10 The number oil lhtir youth,
for educali NAL purposes.
The following is the section Of The law
which provideS Ear This tax.
"SEC. GO. For the purpose Of aG,rI.
ing the advantages ol a free education Ia
all The youth of this State, the State Com.
mon School fund shall hereafter consist of
'uch sum as will be produced by the an
nIal levy and assessment of Two mills on
tie dollar valuation on the grand list of
The taxable property Of the State, and
there is hereby levied and assessed annual
ly. in addition To the revenues required
Irg general purposes, the said two mills
, pom the dollar valuation as aforesaid; and
the amount so levied in The same manner
rs other Sa taxes, and when collected
shall be annually distributed To the several
Counties of the Stale in proportion 10 the
enumeration Of scholars, aud be applied
exclusively TO the support Of Common
SD ools."
In addition 10 this, one tenth Of a mill
is le,ied for a library fund. Thus it will
he remarked, that the School Tax is more
than twice as much as is necessary 10 de.
fray the expenses proper Of tile Sale
government.
These things should be remembered by
tax payers OF The State, when accusations
Of extravaganza are brought against the
democratic administration Of the STATE
government.
The people have right to know what
is done with their money, and 10 hold their
public servants to a strict accountability,
Bat while more than FIVE sixlhs Of their
taxes g0 To- the payment Of the interest.
and toward the liquidation oflhe principal,
0f the public debt, and To the support Of
the Common Schools, it is unfair to keep
this fact u Of view, in an anxiety to
make GU, the charge Of democratic exlrav.
agance.
In conclusion, then, we repeat, that the
levy for Stale purposes, including expenses
nj The State Government, judicial, Exec.
ulive and Legislative departments, Stale
House appropriations. aud for the pay.
ment of interest and principal of the Pub.
lie Debt, is the same that it was last yer.
and three tenths " mill less than il was
in 1851 /; and that the Sehnnl tax is two
mills and one.lenth on n d, lllr, in addition
now lor the first time levi d entirely as q
Stale tax.
DECIDEDLY MuDEsT.--The " Maine
law men need expect no aid from the To-.
c%ofDcos, they never have allowed IheiFpar.