Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-08-10
From the Dayton Empire.


State Taxes.
An erroneous opinion has been gaining ground
in various quarters of the State, respecting the
amount of taxes to be levied this year for State
purposes, in comparison with the rate heretofore
assessed.
Instead of being an increase it is an actual
reduction of three-tenths of mill on the dollar
from 1851.
For that year which was the last of Auditor
Woods administration of the State Finances it
was follows:
The principal and interest of the State debt and
expenses of the State government, $40 mills.
In 1852, for the same, "
In 1853, for the same, &C
1t must be remarked here, that under the three
and three-tenth mills in 1851, there accrued a
deficit in the revenues of $225,O25 which had to
be made up by the Legislature of '52.
We have seen an excellent article upon this
subject, in the Ohio State Democrat, the first
number of which has just been issued at Colum-
bus, in which we find the following extract from
Auditor Woods annual report to the Legisla-
tnre:-
'sThe attention of the General Assembly has
frequently been called to this increasing deficit.
Had not the money subject to the control of the
Fund Commissioners been permitted to remain
in the Treasury to meet this deficit, the Bills for
the ordinary expenditures of the State govern
ment would have been protested"
Thus although this deficit of more than quar-
ter of million of dollars, has been provided for,
the State levy has been reduced at the same time,
nearly third of mill.
It has been stated, and currently too, that the
sum of So ,3l6;315 was appropriated for the year
1858; but when it is remembered that the interest
upon the State debt consumed $1,O25,597 40, of
this sum, and that $s77O,574 SO was appropriated
to reduce the principal including small amount
for the necessary expenses of the Fund Commits
sioners, will be perceived that only about $780,
900 remains!
This includes, too, appropriation of $685.
900 to the new State House.
Assuming then the actual expenses Of the State
government, exclusive of appropriations on ac-
count of the Public Debt and State House, at
even $4OO, 900, and the levy of four-fifths of a
mill on the dollar is all that is required to defray
these expenses! This, too, is upon the estimate
of 500 millions as the amount of property of all
descriptions in Ohio subject to taxation. The
levy this year for general revenue purposes, is
one mill.
We have said nothing of the School Tax. This
tax which is two mills on the dollar, under the
provision of the late School Law, goes into the
State Treasury, to be disbursed thence to the va
rious countless in proportion to the number otthelr
youth, for educational purposes.
The following is the section of the law which
provides for this tax:
''Sec. 63. For the purpose of affording the ad-
vantages of free education to all the youth Of
this State, the State Common School fund shall
J hereafter consist Of such sum will be produced
by the annual levy and assessment of two mills
the dollar valuation of the grand list of the tax
able property in the State, and there is hereby
levied and assessed annually, in addition to the
revenues required for general purposes, the sale
two mills on the dollar valuation aforesaid, anc
, the amount so levied and assessed, shall be col
J lected in the same manner as other State taxes
. and when collected shall be annually distributed
to the several counties of the State in proportion
to the enumeration Of scholars, and be applied
f exclusively to the support of Common Schools
f.! In addition to this, one-tenth of mill is leveC
/ for library fund. Thus it will be remarked
| that the School Tax is more than twice mucl
as is necessary to deay the expenses proper of the
S State government.
These things should be remembered by tax
payers of the State, when accusations of extrava
: istration of the State government.
4 The people have right to know what is done
t with their money, and to hold their public ser
wants to a strict accountability. But while more
than five-sixths of their taxes go to the paymen
of the interest," and toward the liquidation of the
principal of the public debt and to the support o
t the Common Schools, it is unfair to keep this fac
r out of view, in anxiety to make out the charge
t of Democratic extravaganza
e In conclusion, then, we repeat, that the levy
for State purposes, including expenses ofthe State
o Government, Judicial, Executive and Legislative
department, of State House appropriations, ant
for the interest and principle of the Public debt
is the same it was last year, and three-tenth
of mill less than it was in 1851; and that thu
School tax is two mills and one-tenth on dollar
in addition, now for the first time levied entirely
as State tax.