The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-01-13

interest called for i'm New York. and
therefore returned to the Treasurv.--
all which items constitute debt rather
than revenue-S825, ,9654O The total
receipts, therefore, were S3,758,721.57..
The disburbursements were 83,515,458,-
n, TO which should be added the excess
Of the defalcation over former apparept
balance, which was S17,14395, making
total Of S3,532, ,6O2.62. The balance in
the Treasury therefore at the commence
ment of the present fiscal year, was
S226, 1885.
The levies Of each year Fproduce the
receipts of the next year. The recipls
and disbursements of the current wear.
therefore, can at present be Fonlv esti.
mated; the levies only, which were
made in part under the acts of the last.
and in part under the acts Of preced-
ing sessions, are certain. The taxes
paid and to be paid, into the Treasury
during the current year arise from these
leyies. Referring you TO former com
munications for information relating TO
former years, shall state summarilv
the amount of taxable values. and of
taxes levied in 1858 The total number
of acres listed for taxation was 25.298.-
1858. The valuation of these lands was
S347, 1873, 1872; that of Town and Citv
lots, Sl53,lO2,8l5; that Of chattels.
9Z5O,5l4,O84; making the aggregate
valuation of all taxable property in the
State, SS4O SOOO31 The taxes levied
for general State purposes were. for
Sinking Fund, 81 1O47, 9O2: for general
State purposes, S587, ,2O6; for Common
Schools, 81, 259,O92; for District School
Libraries, SS3, ,920; in all S2,97S.12
The levies for County purposes were
Tor County expenses, Sl,I3O,939; for
Bridges, S36l 98S; for the poor. s222.-
Al; for building, S32O,954 for roads
$500, ,435; for Railroads, S4G2 43O; in ali
S2,8A9,220 The levies for Township
City and other local purposes, were for
township expenses, S2S4, ,O51: for schools
and school houses, S1,43S,S11; for Citv
Town and other special taxes, S1G33, SIG;
making total for Township and CITY
taxes Of S3,356,678; to Which add for
deIinquencies and forfeitures, s572 $50;
making the aggregate Of County and
other local taxes Of S6,77S.528.
A slight degree of attention to these
facts will correct the common notion
that the addition to existing taxation or
Il new levy of some fraction of n mill
cannot be of much consequence. The
levy for school libraries is S93. .92O; vet
the rate is but one-tenth of mill. 1t
Is the aggregate Of such rates, which.
considered 'eparately and without ref
e'ence to the sums produced, seem so
lnconsldera le, that constitutes the to-.
tai burden Of taxation.
While these considerations must roc-
ommend, not to the General Assembly
only, but to the local authorities even
more emphatically. tho duties of pru-
dence. torbearanoe, and careful econo-
my, there is yet something in the OBJ
jects to which the revenues are deyo-
ted which may reconcile us. in some
measure, to the taxation which we bear.
A very large proportion of all the pub
lie income is expended directly for the
common good. The levies for schools.
school-houses and libraries amount. for
example, to S2,7S1 ,322, or nearly one
third of the taxes in all forms and for
all purposes. Yet who would dispense
with our schools, school houses. or IL
braries? Who does not know that this
expenditure is more than reimbursed in
the enhanced value of property, and
the augmented power of the people,
To taxation for these and similar pur-
poses, the proceeds being honestly and
economically applied, the people cheer
fully consent. They murmur, and lust
ly murmur, when their burdens are aug
mented beyond the proportion of bone-
hts, by lmprovidence, waste or pecula-
uon' For the prevention of these evils
the people must look to their County
Commissioners, Township Trustees.
Boards Of Education, and Citv and Vii.
lage Councils, even more than to the
General Assembly. 1t cannot be too
deeply impressed upon the public mind
that the discretion committed 10 these
local authorities, however limited and
guarded, must be necessarily large. and
that, in respect to the imposition of far
the largest proportion of taxes, thew
constitute the real legislatures. Too
much care cannot be exercised in tho
choice Of citizens TO fll these important
positions.
To ensure the safest and most bene-
fetal workings of our financial system.
it seems desirable that assessment, lew.
collection and disbursement be brought
as closely together as possible. / can
see no good reason why assessments
may not be made and equalized, levies
determined and duplicates prepared dur
ing the last quarter of each fiscal wear.
This would bring levies into close prox-
unity to collections, and ensure tho
most exact proportion possible between
values and taxes. Nor do L perceive
why County Treasurcrs collecting reve-
nue. for the State should not be reouir-
ed to report their collections at brief in-
tervals, in the same manner as the coll
loctors on the canals, and hold them
subject 20 the draft of tho Comptroller.
or why their final settlements with tho
State Treasurer should be delayed 10 the
late date now designated by law.
Each years income should, as nearly
as practicable, pay each years expon-
ses, aud no money should remain in the
Treasury except what Is needed for ouf-
rent disbursements. The act passed at
your late session, providing for the semi
annual collection of taxes, was, in my