Weekly Calaveras chronicle. (Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, Cal.) 18??-1874, 1867-12-21
a Move in the Right Direction.

ATTENTION OF the present Legislature, ana We
are glad to observe that measures are being
taken to remedy some of the evils which have
involved US in an enormous Indebtedness and
a consequent ruinous rate of taxation. On
the 9th inst. Hon. Mr.. Westmoreland, Mem
Der from Humboldt, offered a resolution
making it incumbent upon the Committee on
"Counties and County Boundaries to COM
| pile for the consideration of the Assembly, |
reliable data in regard to the financial con-
dition of the various counties, amount of
| taxable property, officers salaries, etc. As
the resolution was adopted, and is of the
utmost Importance to US who are interested |
in the prompt fulillment of its requirements, |
we publish it in full. The following are the |
duties prescribed for the Committee
First-A statement of the amount of the debts of
the several counties of the State of California |
showing what part thereof if any, Is funded, and
what part is not funded the time when said funded
debt if any, is payable, and the rate of interest
paid on such debts the whole amount of taxes now
levied therein for county purposes; the whole as
sessed value of the and personal property there
in the number of inhabitants therein, exclusive of
Indians and Chinese, and the number of registered
voters.
incorporated towns and cities of the State, showing
whether the same is funded otherwise the rate |
of interest paid such debt; the whole amount |
and character of the levied for municipal pur
poses. Also, the amount paid to the officers of |
such town city Government salaries to each |
officer, respectively, and the estimated amount
ceved by other officers, severay IN the way OF fees
etc.
Third-The amount OF salary paid to each County |
Judge and District Attorney of he State. and if
other officers salaried, the several amounts of
the salaries so paid and estimate of the amount
OF fees and percentage received by the several |
county officers in the several counties of the State
from all sources.
Foursh-A list of State officers, exclusive of mem
bers and attaches of the Legislature, AID a state
officers, and list of officers exclusive of Notares
Public, appointed by the Governor, showing the |
amount of fees respectively received by each.
special committee was appointed to
take the matter in hand, and when the re-
suit of their investigations is laid before the
Assembly, developing the decrease in popu-
lation and valuation of property in the min
ing counties during the past ten years the
vast inde btedness which peculation, exhor-
bitant salaries and bad management have
been the means of accumulating. we are
sanguine that prompt action will be taken to
ameliorate our condition. That legislative
action, looking towards the relief of the
mountain counties, is imperatively demanded,
none acquainted with the condition of their
finances will deny. Take Calaveras for an
instance. Two hundred thousand dollars
will not cover our indebtedness, and upon
the greater portion CT it, interest has to be
paid. The revenue returned monthly by the
township Collectors is insufficient to pay
even the officers salaries. to say nothing
about other necessary expenses, such as
stationery, printing etc. Out of the forty |
thousand dollars property tax collected by |
the Sheriff. not more than four thousand was
apportioned to the General Fund, from
which have to be paid Justices and Con-
stables fees and other expenses of admins
tering the government. AS matter of
course the small amount in the Fund was
totally inadequate to meet the demands
against it, and was doled out IN homeopa-
thic doses to the numerous claimants. But
that is not the worst of it. In 1870 large
amount of bonds will become due. Where
is the money coming from to iquidate them
In 1879 the Big Tree and Carson Valley
Road Bonds-S75, O00-are payable. With
depleted treasury, property depreciating
and the revenue falling behind current ex-
penses and interest, their cancellation will
be an utter impossibility. That measures
must be taken, and that speedily, to extricate
ourselves from our present lamentable fnan-
cial condition, and provisions made for the
payment of the Indebtedness as it becomes
due, are facts which are more potent than
agreeable. Not only Calaveras, but all Of
the mountain counties, with perhaps two or
three exceptions, are in a condition which
savors strongly of bankruptcy. The COM
mittee which has been appointed to examine
the state of affairs, after making a diagnosis
of the diseases of the various counties, will
probably prescribe the remedies. Pending
their Report, we Will make few suggestions
in regard to what we consider the most |
feasible plan of affording the necessary re-
lief:
First-we know of no good reason why
bonds issued by a number of counties to aid
the construction of roads across the noun
tains. These thoroughfares are beneficial,
not only to the county Immediately interest
ed, but to the State at large. That every
facility should be afforded to maintain free
and uninterrupted communication with our
trans-montane sister. is matter of import
ance to all portions of the State, and the
construction of roads to accomplish that |
purpose, involves an expenditure which |
should be generally, not locally borne. Were
it not for the interest on the bonds issued to
aid public enterprises, we could materially |
reduce our Indebtedness yearly. The public |
treasury is overlooking, and If the State
would assume a portion of the bonds, or
even pay the interest on them, it would not
only do an act of justice, but relieve us of |
weight which is sinking US beneath the
waves OF bankruptcy. Second-a State
Board of Equalization should be appointed.
We do not believe that property is assessed
for one-eighth of its value in San Francisco. |
A Board of the character referred to would |
undoubtedly raise the assessed valuation of |
the property in that city at least one hundred |
millions of dollars, enough to materially re-
duce the rate of taxation throughout the |
State. Third-a Funding Act should be
passed and the entire indebtedness bonded |
the bonds bearing interest and made payable