The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1870-01-06
Leavingan estimate d balance in
the Treasury, Nov. 10, 1870, Of S3i3,2l
DEBT.

Leavingan estimate d balance in
the Treasury, Nov. 10, 1870, Of S3ia,24i 90
S8 DEBT.
The amount Of tho public fund.
cd debt Of the State, November 10,
1868, was SlO,532,675 43. During
the last year the Fund Commis.
sioners have redeemed Of the vari-
GUS loans s5l6,093 81, and have
invested in loans not yet due $780,.
643 50y leaving the total debt yet
to be provided for 81, 1855, ,93S q.
TAXATION. t.s
Tho whole amount Of taxes, in-
cluding dellnquencies, collectable
under State laws during the year
1869 was s2l, ,OO6,332 Al. The
Auditor Of State reports tho total
amount of taxes. including delin.
lqueDcies, collectable during the
current year, at S22, 1910. .675 "a, an
increase of the taxes of 1870 ovcr
1869 Of 81 ,804, ,353,40. ef.l.
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 $40, l0l IL. In tho present
ycar thero will be collected FOR
the same purpose the sum OF $685..
1928 61, or 1851, ,275 81 less than
was collected last year. -.
A largo proportion Of the taxes
collected from the people are for
county, city, ind other local pur-
poses, and do not pass through the
State Treasury, but are disbursed
within the counties where they are
collected. During the current
year tho taxes, exclusive Of delin.
quencies, 10 bo collected for all
state purposes exceprfor tho Com
mon School Fund, amount to 49,.
542,025 27, while Si8,l87,400 50
are TO be collected for local purpo.
ses. lls }@lIl Li 4F.gu- hu
The foregoing statements, from
tho report Of the Auditor of State,
show that the taxation of this year
for State purposes other than for
payments on tho principal and in.
terest OF the State debt, exceeds
the taxation of last year for the
same purposes by the sum Of $685.
COL so, and that taxation for local
purposes this year exceeds that OF
last year for tho same purposes by
the sum Of el,695,725 SO. The
local taxes this year are about "A
per cent, greater than they were
threc years ago, and are 10pcr
cent greater than they were last
year.
| Tho, increase Of taxation for
State purposes is in part due TO the
amount collected for tho Asylum
Building Fund, which exceeds the
amount required last year 70,
building purposes by almost $500,
600. Making due allowance fol
this, tho important '1inct remains
that both State and local taxel
have largely increased.
A remedy for this evil can only
bo had through tho General AS
; sembly. The most important mea
I sures to prevent this rapid incr ease
of taxation, which have here, olorC
been recommended, arc n revision
Of the financial system oftho Stat,
, In accordance with bills prepared
, by boardloi commissioners ap
pointed for that purpose, 10 pursu
. anco of an not passed. March 18
1867; short sessions OF the Gener
al Assembly; adequate fixed salar
q les for nll State, county and mum
, cipal officers, without perqaisiles
/; and definite and effcotnal limita
i tions upon the power of county
!, commissioners, city councils ant
! othot local authorities, TO low
@ taxes aud contract debts. a,'cg Na
, Tho Constitution makes u th'
duty ofthe Legislature to restric
, the powers Of taxation, borrowing
J money, and tho like, so as to pro
: vent their abuse. / respectful,
J suggest that tho present laws con
. ferring these powers on local au
thoritics require extensive modif
! cation, In order to comply will
this constitutional provision. Tw,
: modes OF limiting these powers
have the sanction Of experience. -
All large expenditures should NEE
!. tho approval Of those who are Il
, bear their burden, Let all extra
, ordinary expenditures, therefore
, be submitted toa vote Of the peo
q plo, and no tax boo levied unless
!. appr6vedlby q majority of all tn I,
( votcre Of tho locality 10 be affected
!. by the tax,at 4 Gspecial oleclion--lh,
number ofvotors 10 be asCertainet
, by reference to tho votes cast Mt th,
I. State election next preceding pucl
special election = Another mode L
70 limit the rate Of taxation whicl
may be levied, and tho amount o
{ Debt which may be incurred. l
has been said that with such 70
!, strictions upon the powersof loOa
authorities, tho Legislature will b,
s importuned, and It's time wasted h
: hearing applications for specia
. Legislation. The ready answer I,
9 all such applications, by local gu
b thorities, will DO to refer them I,
D their own citizens for a decision O
0 the question. The facility will
(, which affirmative votes can be oh
4 tanned under the prasaura nf icm