The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-02-25
TAXATION.
Increased Rates Of State Taxation for
IST0-The Cause Explained by Hon.
Peter Odlin.

Increased Rates Of State Taxation fol
IST0-The Cause Explained by Hon
Peter Odlin.
In the State Senate few DAYS ago
the bill prescribing the rates Of tax
alton in Ohio, for 1870, was called
up by Senator Odlin, who thus ex
planned it:
The law of last winter fixed the
rate Of taxation for State purposes
for one year only, and repealed thC
laws which operated for each year
unless changed.
The passage of a law is imperative
ly the only question in the rate.
The bill establishes the rate at
mill and 5 10ths of mill for gen
eral revenue. This is in advance OF
the levy Of last year 5-10ths of q
mil.
The necessity Of it is thus shown:
1t must be held in view that the
levy of 1869 for general revenue was
l mill, collected 10th December, 1859
and Goth June, 1870. This levy for
1870, will be collectable the 10th of
December, 1870, and the goth OF June
1871.
The receipts into the State Treas
ury for 1S69-70, as aforesaid from
this tax of one mill and other sourc-
es, will be 81 ,504 722 IS. The ord
mary expenses chargeable to gener-
al revenue are:
General Revenu. ,25o, ,739 o.
Athens AsyluJ ....-..... 1000 90
Land contract Central
Asy!uml..'............ 1900 CO
This leaves balance IN the Treassrv
at the end Of the tiscal year. Nov Is,
1870, OF ly....-.......-........... S64SS3 I3
1t must be here remarked that'bv
the legislation of last winter vol.
%, page 100, the State Auditor was
authorized and required "to transfer
during the year 100000 from the
Sinking Fund, to be repaid to the
Sinking Fund when there shall be a
surplus in the general Revenue Fund
over and above all demands upon it
authorized by law" that he also
transfer the sum Of $4,000 from the
canal fund (by law sinking fund.-;
the Auditor was also authorized to
transfer any funds in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, to the
general revenue fund, as the same
should become decessarv, and all
uneXpended balances of former ap-
propriations for general revenue pur
poses.
The foarth and fifth sections, Art
icle XII, of the Constitution prov
ide.
"SECuoN /. The General Assemb-
ly shall provide for raising revenue,
to defray the expenses of
the State for each year, and also a
sum to pay the interest on
the State debt.
SEC. 5. No tax shall be levied
except in pursuance of law. and
every law imposing a tax shall state !
distinctly the object Of the same, to
which OaIy it shall he applied
Now, there are two strange featur- /
es in this. First instead of estimates
ofthe amountneeded and appropria- |
ton, and taxes according to the |
General Revenue Fund from the
Fund is taken 100000, and |
rom all other funds and balances
my amount Of balance remaining to
hose funds, giving unlimited credit
lpon the Treasury for any amount
or general revenue appropriations
he Legislature might see fit to make
within the compass Of these funds.
Second, this enactment provides
hat the sinking fund thus transfer
ed shall only be repaid when there
5 a surplus In the general revenue
und over and above all demands
Ipon it authorized by law. Now, we
hall show that on the 18th Of Nov
amber, 1870, the end of the fiscal
ear, the general revenue fund was
lot only without one cent to pay
his Indebtedness, which amounted |,
" these transfers from sinking fund
nd common school fund to a bala-
zee OF $lS1, ,917, but that it goes into
he quarter Of 1S70-7I, from Nov
mber 10, 1870, to February. 1871,
D be provided for in debt and cur
ent accounts by taxtion. That the
mixing fund stands in situation
the same taxation,and the
eccsBity Of temporary loans to sus-
ain it.
Such are the facts of figures, and
nch the necessities ofthis bill.
Now in the receipts ofgeaerdl rer-
lue for l660-70, from the tax of I
ill and other sources, amounting to
l,504,722 IS, is included.
he transfer of sl5O,OOO under said act +
from the sinking d...................sI5O.0O0 900
-am the canal fund lalso sinking fund.-. $4,000 c
-om common school fnUe ,........,..,.... 7l,000 ?
$4,000
sduet the balance on hand OF general
revenue fund on the 18th OF November, e
1910, 6f9S0 :
sl8ImO y
You have this deficit against gen 5
al revenue fund, and enter upon Il
Ie fiscal quarter of1S7O-T with this &
ebt, and that quarter to provide b
r with a levy that does not become b
lyable until the Goth Of December, Il
40. a
The additional levy of $40 of 1 Il
i'll proposed by this bin, dedu A
ing delinquencies and expenses Of
Election, will produce $4,000. g
the indebtedness aforesaid i
ii leave $370,0S0 for the first quar- W
r-the expenses of which, as es- o.
mated by the State Auditor, will ex- N
ed S33b,000. a
We cay, then, the transfer Of these to
nds was manifestly to avoid fair Pc
d proper levy for general revenue.
TAe result has been as above, not al
ly compelling this Legislature to "
d the 3 10 to save the credit ofthe til