The Nevada Democrat., 1857-12-30

were PlU,kEJs luc WuOi0 Vi buko dCCluC0 70
the county till the revenue law of April 29th,
1857. Since that, enc half goes to the State
being loss to the county of over $4,000
year. This change was made in accordance
with the recommendation of the Governor in
his annual message, for the purpose of increas-
ing the State revenue. This source Of revenue
should be restored to the counties. They are
all in debt, many OF them deeply--their whole
amount Of Indebtedness being about 50, 500 900.
The Golfers Of the State Treasury are being
bountifully supplied, and the sources of revenue
for the State are more varied and more readily
reached than those of the counties. But in our
estimates we will take the laws as they are, not
an they may be, and what is gone consider gone.
The poll tax from 10th July 1856, to 10th July
1857, is given as 81 This is not, perhaps,
a fair mode Of estimating the annual receipts
from this source. The poll tax for the year is
collected principally between the first of March
and October by the Assessor, so that the amount
given may embrace portions Of both years. But
by the Treasurer's reports of 25th May 1861,
and Nov. 7th 1887, there was received into the
Treasury from 4th Febreary 1857, to 7th Nov.
1857, 81, $50 poll taxi or the county general
fund. The whole amount of poll tax collected
during the year ending July 10th 1857, for
State and county, was S5,3ll. The whole
amount collected from Feb. 4th TO Nov. 7th,
according to tbs reports have referred to, was
S4,64I. These collections wore made on poll
tax OF three dollars, of which forty per cent
accrues to the county and sixty per cent to the
State An additional poll tax Of two dollars
has been authorized to be levied, the whole of
which accrues to the county. If. then, the same
number of persons continue to pay poll taxes
as heretofore, the receipts to the county will be
more from the two dollars additional tax than
the three dollars, in the ratio of 120 to 300
forty per cent of So 90 being 81 2O-and the
whole amount of receipts to the county fund
from poll taxes for another year may be set
down at 1864, at the above rate. And there
is, indeed. good reason to believe that the re-
venue from this source will continue to increase,
as the population becomes more permanent, and
through a more thorough discharge Of his duties
by the Assessor. There were cast in this county
at the election in 1856 over 1000 votes. In
addition to this number liable to poll tax, all
males over twenty-one and under sixty years OF
descriptions, Chinese and negroes, Had all the
voters in this county paid poll~taxes the gross
receipts would have gone up to $4,000 with
the poll tax at three dollars, and deducting the
fifteen per cent for collection would have left
$17, $50 net.
The revenue from foreign licences will regu-
larly decrease. II the revenue law remain the
same as at present, and the Supervisors levy
the whole tax authorized the annual revenue
accruing to the general fund of the county from
other sources than the property tax may be
computed as follows:
Poll tax; ;..............'''. '''''S9'oo9
Foreign licences. .'''.. '''..''''.'' o,ooOo
Merchants and liquor licenses. 5000
Various sorrces. .......,..,,,...... lOOO-Slo,oo4
estimate then from these sources q revenue
Of $4,000 where $1,000 has been received
previous year. If the revenue from merchants
and liquor licenses should be restored TO the
counties, IS 900 more would be added 10 the
revenue without further taxation. While the
amount from the foreign miners licenses will
regularly decrease there will be a sufficient in
crease from the poll tax to offset this loss.
PROPERTY TAX.
/ have estimated the value of the property in
this county, real aud personal, as assessed in
1858, at four millions of dollars, and assigned
my reasons for such estimate. The annual in-
crease of taxable property in the county may
be fairly computed at ten per cent year The
annual increase of the property of the United
States is about four per cent. In many of the
mining counties the property as assessed from
year to year has far exceeded in its inereass
that estimated fer this county of Nevada. But
large amount Of the increased assessments
may be attributed to more thorough discharge
of duties by the Assessors. But in view Of the
improvements in buildings, in homes, the exten-
sion of ditches and the increase Of quartz mills
in this county, ten per cent may be regarded as
not high estimate Of the annual advance of
alton of 1858, as estimated, instead OF ten per
cent, on the annual valuation, and there is an
increase Of two hundred thousand dollars =
year, which would increase the taxable property
Of this county to six millions Of dollars in 1865
The county tax for general purposes has here
tofore been fifty cents on the hundred dollars.
By the law Of this year twenty-five cents more
is authorized to be levied, and seventy-6ve cents
on the hundred dollars will undoubtedly be
levied for some years to come for the county
general fund.
From the gross receipts Of this tax, dedue-
tions must be made for delinquent taxes, for
fees Of tax collector. and fees Of Treasurer, in
all about 16 per cent. The tax collectors fees
will average per cent on the amount collect
ed. The Treasurer's fees % per cent on the
amount disbursed by him and the delinquent
taxes will at the lowest estimate be or per