The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-01-05


Bank Redemption Fund...-.-...-..---.. % II
s4,9Iss76 10
Leaving a balance in the Treasury, No
yember 25th, 1869, of $43S. .O60l4
The estimates of the Auditor of State Of
receipts and expenditures for the current
year, are as follows:
Estimated receipts from all sources,
including balAnces.............. ,li4 90
Estimated disbursements for all pur- -. -
"
Leaving an estimated balance in the ..
Treasury November Is, 1870 Off,. S3l3,244 20
The amount of the public funded debt of
the State November Is, 1868, was $l0'-
53267443. During the last year the
Fund Commissioners have redeemed of
the various loans 1916, ,093.57, and have
invested in loans not yet due $3.50, ,64359,
leaving the total debt yet to be provided
for So, ,S55, ,9SS.27.
The whole amount of taxes, including
| delinquencies, collectable under State laws
during the year 1869 was $2l ,006, ,332. A.
| The Auditor of State reports the total
amount of taxes, including delinquencies,
collectable during the current year, at
| 500, ,Sl0675S4 an increase of the taxes OF
1870 over 1869 of 81 ,S04, ,3534O.
In 1869 there was collected for the Sink
/ ing Fund. to be applied to the payment Of
| the principal and interest Of the State
debt, the sum of 81 $50, l0l.l2. = In the
present year there will be collected for the
same purpose the sum of $S0S, S,S26,6l, or
1861 ,275, 81 less than was collected last
year.
A large proportion of the taxes collected
from the people are for county, city, and
other local purposes, and do not pass
through the State Treasury, but are dis
| i hav-
collected. During the current year the
taxes, exclusive ofdelinquencies, to be col
| lected for all State purposes except for the
Common School Fund, amount to $2,-
542, ,025.27, while SIS, ,1S7, ,40092 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 oflast year for the same purpose
by the sum of $6O9, ,60l.50, and that taxa
tion for local purposes this year exceeds
that fast year for the same purposes by
the sum of 81 ,695, ,7253S. The local taxes
this year are about fl per cent greater
than they were three years ago, and are 10
per cent greater than they were last
year.
The increase of taxation for State pur-
poses is in part due to the amount collected
for the Asylum Building Fund, which
exceeds the amount required last year for
building purposes by almost 100000.
I Making due allowance for this, the import
ant fact remains that both State and local
taxes have largely increased. .
| A remedy for this evil can only be had
through the General Assembly. The most
1
increase of taxation, which,have heretofore
been recommended, are q revision Of the
financial system of the State in accordance
with bills prepared by board of commits
sioners appointed for that purpose, in pur-
suanee Of an act passed March Is, 1857
short sessions Of the General Assembly
adequate fixed salaries for all State, county
and municipal officers, without. perquisites
and definite and effectual limitations upon
the power Of county commissioners, city
councils and other local authorities, to levy
taxes and contract debts.
The Constitution makes it the duty O.
the Legislature to restrict the powers o
taxation, borrowing money, and the like
so as to prevent their abuse. / respect
fully suggest that the present laws con
ferring these powers on local authoute
require extensive modification, IN .orde
r to comply with this constitutional pro
? vision. Two modes of limiting thes,
Epowers have the sanction of experience. Al
large expenditures should meet the sppro
val Of those who are to bear their burden
, Let all extraordinary expenditures, there
: fore, be submitted to vote of the people
, and no tax be levied unless approved by
majority of all the voters ofthe locality +
be affected by the tax, at special election
ha hav- Of fN ha
4 reference to the votes cast at the State eleC
: tion next preceding such special election
| Another mode is to limit the rate of taxa
ton which may be levied, and the amour
e of debt which may be incurred. 1t ha
been said that with such restrictions upo
the powers ofloeal authorities, the Legii
lature will be importuned, and its tim
! | wasted IN hearing applications for specls
legislation. The ready answer to all sue
applications by local authorities, Will be t
3 refer them to their own citizens for decii
e ion of the question. The facility wit
=, which Affirmative votes can be obtaine
under the pressure of temporary eIciti
o ment, upon propositions authorizing indeb
= edness may require further restrictions uE
e on the power to borrow money. 1t
therefore suggested, for your consideration
TO limit the amount of debt for q singl
purpose, and the total amount for all pun
poses. which any local authority may col
tract to certain percentage of the tax
bic property Of such locality.
The evils considered are not new Fou
/ teen years ago, Governor Medill, in his al
q nual message, used the following languag
, which is as applicable to county and mul
icipal affairs now as 1t was when it VIZ
q written: THE irresponsible and extrav
: CANT system of administration which pre-
n walls in some OF our counties and cite
furnish the principal cause for the exa
tions which are so general y complained c
is There, public contracts are given to favo
ties which occasion the most lavish expel
ditures. There, also, we find officers Wit
incomes which shock all correct ideas
n public compensation These things hay
N their effect upon the general tone Of publ
"a morals County reform is duty enjoiT
= ed by every consideration ofpublic virtue
n The whole Of this important subject
commended to your candid consideration.
The management of the affairs of Il
, Penitentiary, during the past year, HI
T. been good discipline has been maintained
t under kind and judicious treatment Il
ID prisoners have been industrious and orde
", and the pecuniary results are satisfa
tory The number of prisoners, on the 81
!; of convicts admitted during the year en-
ing on that day was 347. This is a decreas
compared with the preceding year, of 27
~ the number or eonvicts admitted, and
=, 81 in the number confined in the Penitel
Ct tiary.
- The earnings during the year ending
" Octooer 81 were..-.-...- SlI6,oo3
The expenses swere..--.-.--...----.-.--.-. 1865
Last year the earnings were............. sI7I O37
to The expenses l4l,TS4
v 4 large portion OF the convlcts, wht
co admitted, are quite young. The age
of about one-third does not exceed TIVE
ty-one years. More than two-thirds
a. the inmates of the prison are now und
of thirty years of age. 1t will occur to al
one who considers these facts that, und
le our system of prison discipline, too hit
~ efforts has heretofore been made to T
form these young men. A high authors
-