Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-01-13
these acts, and.interdedto to supply the deficit

these acts, and d.interded to supply the defic
i created BY defalcation. s- %
1t thus appears that the rate of taxatio
fol. General Revenue, applicable to the SUP
port of the State Government, in all its De
par.men'ts, Executive, Legislative and Jud
cial, and the payment of the cost of Publ
Buildings and the expenses of the Benevo
/ lent Institutions. is less than half the gen
eral rate for schools and libraries, and bu
seven-ninths Of the general rate for the pub
| lie debt; while it sinks almost to insgnifi
canoe in comparison with the local taxation
for County, Township, City. Village an
School District purposes. s--aa r.-
1t would contribute much to cleare
understanding OF our revenue system b,
those entrusted with its administrator a
well as by the people at large, if all rate
of taxation were prescribed by single Law
and not by many as at present; and re
sPectfully recommend the expediency o
such an enactment to your consideration
The receipts of the fiscal year 1858 from
| taxation tolls, convic,s' earnings, and al
o.her sources of revenue, properly SO called
including the premium on the temporary
loan, were $2,93l,756 II. The receipts
from sales of school and minister ial lands
and the principal of the temporary loan, and
the amount of July interest moi called for
in New York, and therefore returned to the
Treasury, ,-all of which items constitute
debt rather than revenue-,were 1896 .965
40. The total receipts, therefore, were
$3, 758,73l 81. The disbursements were
S3,5l5 ,45s II, to " hich should be added
the excess of the defalcation over former
apparent balance, which was Sl7,l43 s5
making total of $3,532 ,602 So. The bal.
ance IN the Treasury, therefore, at the com.
mencement of the present fiscal year. was
S226,ll8.95. a' ef-ssgzs Eass a. 'isgr- e
The levies of each yeai produeo.the re.
ceipts of the next year. The receipts and
disbursements of the current year, there.
fore, can at presen, be only estimated; the
levies only, which were made in part under
the acts of the last, and in part under the
acts of preceding sessions, are certain The
taxes paid. snd to be paid into the treasury
during the current year arise from these
levies. Referring you to former communi-
cations for information relating to former
years. | shall state sdmmarily the amount
of taxable values, and Of taxes levied in
1858. The total number Of acres listed for
taxation was %, 5,29s, 1868. The valuation OF
these lands was $437, 4 SO, } SO; that of Town
and CITY lots. s Sl53. .l02 sl5; tina: of chat
tells, S250 3l4s0S4; making the aggregate
valuation of all taxable property, Ss4o s00,-
03l. The taxes levied for general State
purposes were, for Sinking Fund, ST. .047. :
902; f-r general State purposes, S5s7 2O6;
for Common Schools, ST. ,259os2; for Dis
trict School Libraries, $50, $40, in all 50.
97s, l22. The ieviessfo CouaIy purposes
were, Tor County expenses, $I,i30 93g; for
Bridges, 1851 ,9SS; for the poor, 1922, All /;
for building. $500 ,954 81; for roads. $780,
435; for Railroads, $l62, ,43O, in all s., ,o49,-
220.- The levies for Township, City, AMI
other loes II purposes, were. for township ex-
penseS, 1924 05l; for schools and school
houses, 81 ,43s .Sll;;'or city, town, and other
special taxes, 81 .633,sl6; making total
for township and city taxes of SO .356,67s
to which add Tor telinqueucies aud forfeit
lures, $572 $50; making the aggregate Of
county and other local taxes, Sc 77S .52S
A slight degree of attention 20 these facts
will correct the commos notion that the ad-
dition to existing taxation of a new .evy of
some fraction Of a mill cannot be of much
consequence. The levy for school Libraries
is S83 $40; yet the rate is but one tenth Of
a mill. 1t is the aggregate OF such rates,
which, consi erred separately and without
reference to the sums produced, seems so
incoEsidersble, that constitutes the total
burden Of taxation. ~" "e' - HFg 4
While.these cons ideratons must recon-
mend, not to the General Assembly only.
but TO the loca authorities even more en-
the duties of prudence, forbear-
ance, and careful economy. there is We,
something in the objects to which the rev.
enues are devoted which may reconcile us,
10 some measure. to the taxation which we
bear A very large proportion of all the |
Public income is expended directly for the
Common good. The levies for schools,
School houses and libraries amounts, for ex- |
ample, to g.. .7sl ,s22, or nearly one third of !
he taxes in all forms and for all purposes. /
Yet VINO would dispense with our schools. /
school houses, or librariesl Who does not
know that this expenditure is moro than !
reimbursed in the enhanced value Of prop
srty, and the augmented power of the peo!
pie! To taxation for these and similar pur
poses, the proceeds being honestly and
applied, the people checrfully
They murmur, and Justly murmur,
when their burdens arc augmented beyond
he proportion of benefits by imprn yidence,
waste Of pecuIation For the prevention of
.hese evils the people must look to County :
Commissioners, Township Trustees, Boards 1
Of Education, and City and Village Coun-
,ils, even more than to the General Assem-
bly,. II cannot be too deeply impressed
upon the public mind that the discretion
to these local authorities, how 7
ever limited and guardrd, must be necrs-
sarily large, and that, in respect to the i'm
position Of far the largest proportion of
taxes, they constitute the real legislatures |
Too much care cannot he txerc'sed in the !
choi,'e of citizens to fill those imporan, :
>, stions -
To ensure the safest aui mrst bcncfic al
Of our financia system itse"ms de |
sh abe hwy colIectio & dis. 7
b, rsement be brought as closely together as
possible. | can see no good reason why as
sessments may not be made and equaliz"d,