Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-04-28
The GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, )
WAsHINGTON. April "a. 1T3,

~
Legislative Assembly:
The organization Of the Third Legislative
Assembly Of the District affords occasion for
recognition and acknowledgment of the kind
Providence which has vouchsafed to the gov
eminent and people Of the District year of
unprecedented prosperity and progress. Much
has been accomplished during this period i'm
perfecting and systematic ing the operations OF
the new government, in the work of internal
improvements, and in securing the generous CO.
operation of Congress in the efforts of the people
OF the District in urging these improvements TO
completion. You are about to enter upon the
third regular session of your legislative labors,
and you do SO under circumstances full Of en-
courage ent. Much has been accomplished
by your predecessors, and the pathway of the
future is clear in the light of the past and the
present.
FINANCES.
In my last annual communication to your
body your attention was called to the import
ance of keeping appropriations within the esti-
mated revenues. In accordance with this sug-
gestiOn appropriations for the current year
were based upon careful estimates of necessary
expenditures and of revenues, furnished by the
proper officers, and revised by the Legislature.
At the time, however, when these estimates
we're made the assessments were not complete,
and when completed they fell short of the APP
proximate estimates. No margin was made for
the discount allowed for the prompt payment
Of taxes, and for the attachments and exemp-
tons of church and school property under acts
Of Congress and of the Legislature. These
attachments and exemptions amount to 1888 900,
leaving the net amount of taxes and licenses
for the current year about 81 100000. OF this
amount 1856 ,5gl have been collected, leaving a
balance due on account of taxes OF the current
year of S4i9 900, besides arrearages of the year
previous, estimated at $50 900, and of former
levies of the old corporations $40 900, making
the aggregated amount of S619 900 of taxes due
the District and the old eOrpor ations.
In this connection the fact should not be
overlooked that the new government has been
carrying the expenses of six months admins
tration, during which time no taxes were col
lected or levied, except in the city of George
town. The late corporations OF Washington
and the Levy Court of the county failed to
make the assessments and levy; and the first
Legislature provided that the assessments
should be prospective. and not retroactive; thus
leaving six months, from January to July, 1SIl,
uncovered.
In your action upon the estimates of expendi-
lures, the rate of taxation necessary TO meet the
same should be carefully considered.
Your legislation of last year was the first
attempt to SYSTEMATIC and to bring into proper
relations the revenues and expenditures of the
District. The accuracy of your estimates is
very gratifying, although, for reasons already
given, they were only approximately correct;
nevertheless, it furnishes a basis upon which
in the future, you can legislate with almost
absolute eXactness. In some instances the
amounts appropriated-being based upon eSti-
mated reyenues-were in excess of the actual
revenues, and in others the expenditures re-
quired will exceed the appropriations.
These Deficiencies, amounting in the aggre-
causes referred to. In no case should expcndi-
lures exceed revenues; and deficiency appro-
priatons to cover excuses of expenditure can
he justified only by rare and exceptional neces-
sites.
Under the former governments of the District
one of the chief embarraSsments in meeting
promptly the current expenses was the delay iii
the current payment OF taxes which did not
keep pace with expenditures, but were largely
withheld until the close OF the year, and were
also largely delinquent, even beyond that pc
Rod. The law enacted at the last session of the
Legislature, allowing rebate of one per cent.
month upon taxes paid, was designed TO cor
rect tins evil. 1t has partially accomplished
the object the taxes having been paid some
what more promptly than before.
Yet it will not be difficult to devise a scale OF
attachments and penalties which will greatly in
crease the efficiency of the existing law, and en-
tirely correct the evil it was designed to rem
edy. The unpaid taxes of the current year are
sufff Gent to meet the expenses for the balance
OF the year, with the exception of the deficen-
cies above noted.
In this connection it is earnestly recommend
ed that provision be made for the enforcement
of the Payment of all taxes in arrears on ami
after June 80, 1873, including the unpaid por-
ton OF the leyies Of 1871, 1872 and 1873, and OF
the levies by the late corporations of Washing
ton, Georgetown and Levy Court, still re
naming unpaid. The system of collecting such
arrears, which the District government has in
heTited from its predecessors, is cumbrous ex-
Iensiye and Ineffective. In fact, the receipts
from sales for delinquent taxes have yielded but
little more than enough revenue to pay the ex-
L
in lieu OF the annual public sales now made, the
Collector OF Taxes be authorized by law to issue
Understanding tax-lien certificates against
the property OF delinguents after one months
notice to that effect This will result in placing
the entire uncollected tax levy into the treasury
at the expiration of each fiscal year.
The report of the Controller will furnish you
with detailed statement of all the receipts and
expenditures of the District government from
its organization to January l, 1873, together
with estimates of the same, carried forward
fran hot 20 70 as %I,., q
year. In no case have the disbursements ex-
ceeded the appropriations for any specific OBJ
ject; while in many instances the disbursements
for the year will not equal the amounts appro-
priated.
From the Comptrollers report it will also be
seen that Ie cash receipts of the District OF CO.
lumbia on its own account and on that of the
late corporations amounted to $1,000 ,676.7l. OF
this sum 81 sos ,SO6.13 was received on account
OF the late corporations; 81, 42S 900 account of
District bonds aud loans; 54,6162S on ac-
count of trust funds and special accounts, and
81 ,92l ,25i.33 on account of taxes.
This statement covers all receipts of the Dis
trict government from the date of its Organiza-
ton, June I, 1871, to December 81, 1872, inclu-
sive-a period of nineteen months.
The expenditures during the same period, pur-
suant to legislative authority, amounts to
$685. 16.6i. OF this sum there was expended
on account of the late corporation, 81 ,750,07039
on account of appropriations from proceeds OF
leans and bonds, 50, 401 ,56S 80; for returns OF
trust funds deposited with the District, S193,-
255'31; and for expenses of the administration of
the government, Including the various depart
ments and interest on the funded debt 81 96s.-
s21.95, leaving in the treasury Of the District
January i 1873, 1913 ,960.O7.
The estimates OF expenditures for the ensuing
wear will be transmitted by the Comptroller, as
they have been received by him from the proper
officers. 1 hope that these estimates will be
rigidly scrutiniZed, feeling assured that many
Of them can be materially reduced. 1t is quite
certain, also, that considerable reduction can
be made in the clerical force and expenses of
the executive Offices and other departments, the
labor of conducting the government being much
less than it was during the process of its organ
ization and establishment. I-again earnestly
call attention to the Importance of keeping ex-
penditures and appropriations therefor within
the limits OF the well-ascertained revenues Of
the District.
SINKING FUND COMMISSIONERS.
The operations of the sinking fund commits
sioners, a full report of which Is herewith sub
mitted, have been highly satisfactory. Nearly
all the floating debt aud unsettled claims Of the
late corporations of Washington, Georgetown
and the Levy Court have been paid OF. Some
idea may be formed OF the labor devolved upon
the commission when IL Is stated that about six
hundred and fifty claims have been adjusted,
amounting In the aggregate to more than
81 500 900. The beneficial results Of these pay
ments and of the purchases of District securi-
ties by the board axe already being experienced.
Bonds Of the late corporation Of Washington,
which before the creation Of the District gov