Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-01-12
THE CHRONICLE.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

. GOVERNORS MESSAGE
FeEIOID Citizens of the General Assembly
In obedience to the Constitution,
. proceed to lay before you the condi
= ton of the affairs of the State govern.
: ment, and to recommend such meas.
ures as seem to me expedient.
FINANCES.
The balance in the State Treasury
on the 18th of November, 1868, was
$50, l20.75; thereceipts during the last
fiscal year were S4,7S1, ,6l4 40; making
the total amount of available funds in
the Treasury during the year ending
November 18th, 1869, 1881, 735, "A.
The disbursements during the year
have been S4,9lS, ,675, 10, which sum
has been paid out of the Treasury from
the several funds as follows:
General Revenue Fund......-Sl, ,577, ,22l is
Canal Fund........................-- H,1SS a
National Road FUND.-. ZOOS SO
Sinking Fund..............-......-. LIS, ,93S %
Common School Fund.-. J, ,496, ,6SS 50
Bank Redemption Fund.-. 2S IL
,9l3 675 10
Leaving a balance in the Treasury,
Nov. 18th, 1869, of S43S, ,060.14.
The estimates of the Auditor of
State of receipts and expenditures for
the current year, are as follows:
Estimated receipts from all
sources, including bslan-
"a, ia 0O
Estimated disbursements for
all purposes. ............. Al, ,S99 6O
Leaving an estimated bal
ance in the Treasury, Nov.
10, 1870, of......................-.. SSlS, IA 80
DEBT.
The amount of the public funded
debt of the State, November 10, 1868,
was $40, ,532, ,675 43. During the last
wear the Fund Commissioners have
redeemed of the various loans $685.
! O93 81, and have invested in loans not
vet due Sl59, ,643 50, leaving q total
debt vet to be provided for S, ,S55, $685. :
q.
TAXATION.
The whole amount of taxes, includ-
ing delinquencies, collectable under
State laws during the year 1869 was
! S2I, ,OO6, ,332 A. The Auditor of State
reports the total amount of taxes, in
Guiding delinquencies, collectable du-
ring the current year, at SO, $40, ,675,-
/ 81; an increase of the taxes of 1870
over 1869 of 81 ,S04, ,353 40.
In 1869 there was collected for the
/ Sinking Fund, to be applied to the
payment of the principal and interest
of the State debt, the sum of 81, ,37O,-
I01 u. In the present year there will
be collected for the same purpose the
sum of SS0S, ,S26 81, or SCI ,275 81 less
than was collected last year.
A large proportion of the taxes col
lected from the people are for county,
city, and other local purposes, and do
not pass through the State Treasury,
but are disbursed within the counties
where they are collected. Duringthe
current year the taxes, exclusive of
delinquencies, to be collected for all
State purposes excepting the Com
mon School Fund, amount to s., 542,-
025 q, while SIS, ,1S7, 400 80 are to be
collected for local purposes.
The foregoing statements, from the
report of the Auditor of State, show
that the taxation of this year for State |
purposes other than for payments on |
the principal and interest of the State |
debt, exceeds the taxation of last year /
for the same purpose by the sum of
S609, sol so, and that taxation for local |
purposes this year exceeds that of last |
year for the same purposes by the sum |
of 81 ,695, 725 IS. The local taxes this
year are about A per cent, greater than
they were three years ago, and are
ten per cent. greater than they were |
last year.
The increase of taxation for State /
purposes is in part due to the amount
collected for the Asylum Building
Fund, which exceeds the amount re-
quired last year for building purposes
by almost $500, 900. Making due al
lowance for this, the important fact |
remains that both State and local tax
es have largely increased.
A remedy for this evil can only be |
had through the General Assembly. |
The most important measures to pre-
vent this rapid increase of taxation,
which have heretofore been recon-
mended, are revision of the fnan-
cial system of the State in accordance
with bills prepared by board of COM
missioners appointed for that pur-
pose, in pursuance OF an act passed
March Is, 1867; short sessions of the
General Assembly; adequate fixed sal
aries for all State, county and muni-
cipal officers, without perquisites; and
definite and effectual limitations upon
the power of county commissioners,
city councils, and other local authori-
ties, to levy taxes and contract debts.
The Constitution makes it the duty
of the Legislature to restrict the pow
ers of taxation, borrowing money,
and the like, so as to prevent their
abuse. l respectfully suggest that the
present law comforting these powers
on local authorities require extensive
modification, in order to comply with
this constitutional provision. Two
modes of limiting these powers have
the sanction of experience. All large
expenditures should meet the appro-
val of those who are to bear their bur-
den. Let all extraordinary expendi-
lures, therefore, be submitted to a
vote of the people, and no tax be lev
led unless approved by a majority of
all the voters of the locality to be
by the tax, at a special cleo
number of voters to be as
certained by reference to the votes cast {
at the State election next proceeding 1
such special election. Another mode {
Is to limit the rate of taxation which |
may be levied, andthe amount of debt :
which may be incurred. 1t has been I
;aid that with such restrictions upon ]
he powers of the local authorities, {
he Legislature will be importuned,
and its time wasted in hearing appli-
,ations for special legislation. The
'eady answer to all such applications !
" local authorities, will be to refer ]
hem to their own citizens for a decis-
on of the question. The facility with {
which affirmative votes can be OBJ
aimed under the pressure of tempo !
AIRY excitement, upon propositions
indebtedness, may re- ]
luire further restrictions upon the
Oower to borrow money. 1t is there !
ore suggested, for your consideration, I
o limit the amount Of debt for sim ]
lie purpose, and the total amount for I
IL purposes, which any local authOri- {
Y may contract, TO a certain percent
ge of the taxable property of such To- {
ality. S
The evils here considered are not
lew. Fourteen years ago, Governor e
dedill, in his annual message, used I
he following language, which is as E
applicable to county and municipal I
tfairs now as it was when written - y
The irresponsible and eXtravagant 2
ystem of administration which pre- Q
-ails in some of our counties and cities P
furnishes the principal cause for the a
xactons which are so generally COM p
'lained of. There, public contracts d
re given to favorites which occasion 8
he most lavish exDenditureS There