The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-01-13
TAXATION.

The whole amount Of taxes, includ,
ing delinqueucies, cOIIectable under
State laws during the year 1869, was
$2l ,006, 1924. The Auditor of State
reports the total amount of taxes, in,
Guiding delinquencies, collectabIe dur
ing the current year, at s22 $40. 675.84,
an increase of the taxes of 1870 over
1869 Of 81 ,804, ,353.4O.
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 $780,
I101.l2. In the present year there will
be collected for the same purpose the
sum of s808, ,826.Gl, or $56I, ,275.5I 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 discussed within the counties
where they are collected. During the
current year the taxes, exclusive Of de-
linquencies, to be collected for all State
purposes except for the Common
School Fund, amount to S2,542, OPS 81,
while S18, I87, ,40O.92 are to be collect
ed 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 purposes by the sum Of
$609, ,G0l.5O and that taxation for To-
cal purposes this year exceeds that of
last year for the same purposes by the
sum of 81 ,695, 1888. The local taxes
this year are about A 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
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 100000. Making due al
lOwance for this, the important fact re-
mains that both State and local taxes
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 a revision of the financial
system of the State in accordance with
bills prepared by a board of commits
siOners appointed for that purpose, in
pursuance of an act passed March IS,
1867; short sessions of the General
Assembly; adequate fixed salaries for
all State, county and municipal off
GERS, without perquisites; and definite
and pffpctual 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
of the Legislature to restrict the pow
ers of taxation, borrowing money, and
the like, so as to prevent their abuse.
1 respectfully suggest that the present
laws comforting these powers on local
authorities require extensive mOdifica-
ton, in order to comply with this
constitutional provision. Two modes
Of limiting these powers have the
sanction of experience. All large ex-
penditures should meet the approval
of those who are to bear their burden.
Let all expenditures, therefore, be sub
mitted to vote of the people, and no
tax be levied unless approved by a
majority of all the voters of the local.
ity to be affected by the tax, at a special
electtOn-the number of voters to be
ascertained by reference to the votes
cast at the State election next precCd-
ing such special election. Another
mode is to limit the rate of taxation
which may be levied, and the amount
of debt which may be incurred. 1t
has been said that with such rpstric
tiOns upon the powers of local author
tiles, the Legislature will be impOr-
tuned, and its time wasted in hearing
applications for special legislation.
The ready answer to all such applica-
tiOns by local authorities, will be to re-
fer them to their own citizens for a de-
cisiOn of the question. The facility
with which affirmative votes can be
obtained under the pressure of tempo
Fary excitement, 0poH propositions aU.