The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-01-13

X
With these observations it seems proper
to submit to you o suggestion more than
Onco addressed to your predecessors THAT
il is indispensable to every sound financial
systom that appropriations 90 limited by
revenues, and expenditures by appropr-
ations. Tho arrangements which have
embarrassed our finances may be
traced, almost invariably in tho absence of
crime, to q disregard OF this sautary princi-
plo. Nothing but an oyorruling emergency /
can justify appropriations. When so justi- .
fed, the appropriations 10 the former case !
should be as promptly reported to tho Legis- !
Iaturc for lie judgment and sanction.
] embrace this occasion to suggest tho
expedicncy of requiring, under suitable
penalties for omission. all officers having
charge Of works ot institutions, to state dis
tinctly in connection with each annual rn-
port, whothcr any debts, beyond appropria-
tions, were outstanding at tho close OF the
year, and if any, their precise nature and
amount. For all such debts the officers
contracting them arc. under existing laws,
personally responsible, and their payment,
without express legislative sanction, out Of
any subsequent appropriations, should be
strictly prohibited.
In this Connection also renew my recon-
J
of sum sufficient TO provide against nntore-
seen emergencies, subject only to the war
rants OF the Governor, to be drawn on salts.
factory evidence of necessities unexpectedly
requiring extraordinary expenditures.
Tho public welfare would likowise be pro-
NOTED in my judgment, ;f tho several officers
iu tho Executive Department wero organized
as an Executive Council, and required to
meet from time to time, and whenever con.
vOked by tho Governor, for consultation
and action in regard to public interests.
The sanction of such Council to the drafts
on the contingent appropriation just pro-
posed, would constitute an ample guaranty
against imrrovdonCe and abuse.
| Tho whole amount Of receipts into the
treasury during the last year, was SO, $780,
l54, and the balance from the preceding
year was 1925, ll9. Tho total sum subject
| to disbursement in 1859, was So 146,272.
Of this sum 1922 900 was realized from
drafts. in anticipation of the revenue Of 1860
$2,039733 we're received from levies on the
grand list OF 1858. of ono mill on tho dollar
for Common Schools. one-tenth of u mill fol
School Libraries, nine-tcnths for Sinking
Fund, ,sevcn-twentieths for reimbursement Of
= Temporary Loan, and sevcn-tcntbs for gon'
eral expenses of State Government. These
levies, amounting in the aggregate to three
mills and clev en-twentieths on dollar
assessed upon the taxable valuation of $50
SOO03l, exhibited by the grand list of 1858
woud.havo produced, if fully collected ~ y
0S4.S4 Tho difference between this sun
and the revenue actually received-abou
forty-five thousand dollars-is attributable
F to costs Of collection, variations between
delinquenccs unpaid and dolinquencies col
! in
The principal sources of revenue, Other
than levies, arc Tolls and Water rents OF
, the Public Works; collections of SurplnI
, Revenue; Proceeds of sales of lands: Con
vict labor; and Canal, Turnpike and Rail
= road Dividends. Ofreceipts from these ant
i other sources besides levics, some classcd il
revenue. cannot properly be considered a
such. Proceeds of OverwOrk of convicts
!. for example, and collections on old claims
4 md advances from contingent funds OF Ex
J. ecut,ve Officers arc not properly revenue
/, but either simple deposits, or means mad
~ money, or nero transfers from ono accoun
"a to another. 1t is to be observed, moreove
Il that more than tho whole realized from a
!, sources, except lcvies. is either absorbed
,, the expenses of tho Public Works, and II
!. Penitentiary, or specially appropriated
-, tho Sinking Fund for tho payment of int
~ ess and principal of tho Public Debt.
3 For the annual expenses o: the State
u Education, for Benevolent Institutions, on
~ for all departments of the State Cover
- ment, no substantial reliance can be place
:, on any other sources of revenue than Il
~ annual lovics.
4, The whole amount of disbursements d
ring 1889. upon all accounts, was Is. .552, 80
q. and the balance in tho Treasury at its clo
~ was Sl93,276.
- A more particular review of tho sever
no branches of collection and disburseme
n. will present, in still clearer light. the
- nancial transactions of the year. For Il
-. support of tho State Government and Ins
~ tutlons thore was collected during tho yea
;. from eyies on the Grand List, the sum
", SGO3647. Receipts from licences and au
3 ton duties from tho Peuitentiary fro
20 20 taxes on banks and from claims collocte
=, ~ together with tho balance at tho close
~ 1858 increased this sum to 1884 l07 Fro
j., this sum several amounts not properly CO
- stituting revenue, should DO deducted, lea
20 ing tho tho true sum for disbursement SS6
nj $780, OF this there was disbursed duriI
~ the year $7S2 .5S5. But as the receipts
- not exactly represent revenue, so neith
= did the disbursements precisely roprsse
=" expenditures. For example, the sum
o SG3, 400 is charged as disbursed, when Il
w real transaction was the placing of o
claims nominally of that amount in Il
Is hands of proper officers for collection nj
ny the sum of 800, ,260 similarly charged, VIII,
ny the whole amount was paid, not for gener
Isl purposes, but on account of Public Worl
no under the direction of your predecessor
~ Tho actual disbursements for tho Executi'
Dy Legislative and Judicial departments, a
nc all the benevolent and reformatory Sta
~ Institutions, including the Penitcntial
Is wore, therefore. 1926, ,835. The balance
hc naming was Sl0l ,59l.
an For the expenses OF the. Public Wor
ng there was received, from toilS and wal
ng rents on tho Ohio Canal, S7I.442; on I
be Miami and Eric Canal, $ll4337; on I
NO Muskingum improvement, Ssl8, ,274 !; on
no Hooking Canal. Sl7, ,30l [; on the WalhoI
10, ing Canal, s475; on tho Western Rese
'eu and Maumee Road, 81 ISL on the Natio
tii Road, IS, ,55l from sales of canal lau
nd 1916; and from other sources. s9, ,92l (;
re, all, S2i6,75l. The sbursements W
nc 1896, ,992. The apparent excess of out
ha' over income was, therefore, 900, 200, I
re, this amount was paid from tho Gent
uai Revenue. as has just been stated. OF I
'ar' sum, however, SS4,034 was expended in :
ua' pent fo- the Lewistown Reservoir, and
i've other special purposes, outside of the pro
nre repairs of the year. The real excess of
nat over receipt was $6,l70.
For common schools, there we're collot
any on the grand list, Sl,24s,797. There .