The Placer herald., 1856-02-23
For tho Placer Herald.
AUBURN, Feb. 21st, 1856

SIGNATURE of Citizen favoring the funding OF
the present Indebtedness of this county,
which PROPOSE in this to notice, as well as
the question generally. After giving the
history of the gradual progress, rise, &c.' ne
comes to our day and generation, and sets
down the present debt Of Placer county at
about 50 ,564 80, and estimates the sum OF
$G5.44 81 to be due upon current expenses
alone; and by careful figuring has ascertalned
that the yearly expenses of the county over
and above all receipts amounts to $l9,64o o.
The data given, have no doubt is correct
for presume that the opportunity OF Ct'@e'
for gathering correct items, in the matter,
are superior to one in the common walks OF
life like myself Taking, then, his state
ments, and allowing affairs to proceed as they
have for the past, in two years it would be
necessary to fund again the debt that at that
time would have accrued upon the new start
But Citizen contends, that if a cash system
was adopted the expenses would be reduced.
We will examine this little. Citizen and
every Que will admit, that nine-tenths OF the
bills allowed against the county, are in items
specially prescribed by law, or in fixed sal
aries. Every item Of each and every bill
|
scrutinized by the Supervisors of the county,
and if one dollar is overcharged it is their
duty to disallow it, and it is, doubtless, done.
As for the other one-tenth it will be IN cash
paid for stationery and other preferred artl-
ces, and being purchased generally by coun-
tv officers, in their individual capacities, and
paid for, it is not likely that the county
would be worse imposed on than any private
man making the same purchases. If this is
so now, with a law specially prescribing fees,
will the expenses Of the county be reduced!
We opine that no county officer will come
forward and agree to reduce his bill against
the county, or charge less than the sum al
lowed him for any service he may perform.
Until this is done or a law passed reducing
county expenses below what are now pre-
scribed, presume that Citigen's argument
founded here will amount to but little. An
other argument Of Citige't's is that scrip has
suddenly fallen to ffty-tive cents. This may
be so, but will ask him if the measure ad-
vocated by him Of making county officers IN
the future a preferred class OF creditors to
the detliment Of the present would have the
effect Of raising the price: We think not
for those who are now engaged IN buying
scrip would fund upon a calculation that
twenty-five cents on the dollar would not
| yield a greater per cent. upon money invest
| ed in bonds running ten years, than the same
amount invested in scrip at titty-hve cents on
| the dollar and running eighteen months; al
| lowing a continued investment in scrip for
the same time, then sirs, Of course, the scrip
once turned into londs would be worth less
] lolf II - ~,
Now, sirs, we will suppose that this 39l, :,
564 80 is funded and runs for ten years. in
the change from scrip to bonds $4,000 or
upwards would be included by way of inter
est, swelling it TO over 100000, and the in
tercst thereon in ten years will double that
sum, thus changing debt of so ,5G4 30 in
to 100000, under the plea of reducing eX-
penses and relieving the county Of its en-
barrassments-com upon near $l0,-
900 of interest, This, to my view, seems a
strange mode of easing the county or her
people, but looks more like it was intended
for different purpose-let Citizen say. A
debt for this large sum would be fixed upon
the county, and that for the long time of ten
years; the interest would accrue and have to
be paid to pay it an additional tax would
]
instead Of paying it out Of the revenue as
now existing, there would be necessity for
another funding law soon. Where then
would the real benefit be; would the county
feel it; would the taxpayers feel it? No,
sirs, the people would be taxed heavier to
meet the interest on the bonds, the interest
compounded on her, and at the expiration of
| ten years would have the entire sum as it now
exists, with interest to pay as now. The
| holder Of these bonds would refuse to sell
them to the county inside Of the term speci-
| fled for which they were to run; and the
county, although she might, five years prior
/ to the perfection Of the bonds, be enabled to
pay ever dollar, would be forced to pay in
without u particle of benefit to her or any
one Of her citizens.
Citizen expects to start on a cash basis
he expects to keep even he will have to in
crease the county revenue or lesson the expen-
ses. Can he do so-it is not probable that
the business done by officers to be paid for
by the county will decrease-it is not likely
that the county officers who do that business
will be SO selfsacrtcing as to charge less
than the law gives them-then of course
the other alternative will be carried into
effect and the revenue increased-this will
have to be increased some $4,000, according
to his figures to keep the county even, and
from all the present sources of county reve-
nue. not one cent would there be set aside to
pay this funded debt Now sir, | think
more reasonable plan for this county to pur-
sue would be to strike at once at the source
of the accumulation of this large debt before
taking this half reputation policy of fund
ing-if the revenue of the county is not sufli-
cient increase it-make special tax to assist
in paying this debt, and above ALL reduce ex-
penses-let this Reform Legislature reduce
all criminal fees, they can do so, and these
but little effect the pay of any county officer.
My plan would be, sirs, to reduce the criminal
fees so low that the harn nxnnnsns of otIiaar..