The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-01-16

cities and towns in force April lG, 1860, II
was necessary to increase TIE rate per cent.
seven cents, or from go to 3G cents on each
800 Of the assc jscd valuation.
Nv The terms Of SAID act all the state taxes,
EXCEPT the school tax, levied on the increased
valuation Overthc assessment OF 1868, in c0un'
ties, townships, cities and towns having
bonded railroad indebtedness, were TO be APP
piled to the payment Of such Indebtedness.
The increased valuation in each of the
wears preceding 1878 was so small that there
was no appreciate increase ut the state taxes
In 1873 an effort was made to assess the
taxable property of the State, as required by
the Constitution and the assessment law III
in force July l. 1872, at fair cash value.
The result was an assessed valuation Oh
Sl,34l 81 ,S42, an increase over the assess
meat Of 1858 of SSG0sl0S76, and an increase
over that valuation in counties, townships,
cities and towns having bonded railroad in
debtedncss of S320,00O000.
The entire state tax, inclusive OF the school
tax, on this sum, amounting to S9oo,oOooO'
was TO be diverted from general revenue pur-
poses to the payment of sad Indebtedness
Virtually the said increased valuation OF
S32O,OOOOOO paid no part OF the state TAX lor
general revenue purposes.
! The taxpayer in one locality paid 3G cents,
and in another 80 cents, on cach 500 valua-
ltion for state and school purposes. This dis
parity in the public burdens produced great
dissatisfaction Suits were Instituted enJon.
inc the collection of the tax. a case wss sub
mttted to the Supreme Court, and on the 10Th
dav of June last, that court filed its opinion
holding in effect that 1856 of the tax was not
collectablc The decision of the Supreme
] ,nl Ia For ,hcnp 1a.,i
but it complicated the levy of 1873 At that
time the larger portion Of said tax had been
collected.
The following statement will show lis con,
diuon
Total amount Of $50 tax. $3.50, $3.50
Amount of attachments and com
missions ...,........... lJo,JOIOo
Amount enjoned from collection, 9S,95024
Amount enjoincd In Collectors
hands ..................,. 26I ,233.6 81
Amount pad into State Treasury, 50,4GG,l II
$3.50 565 80
Taking no account Of attachments and com
missions, the sum of sos, 05913, cnjolned
from collection, cannot be collected, and need
give no further trouble. OF the amount col
lected $2G7,232 81 is in the hands of Collec-
tors eDiOined from paying the same over 10
the state, and $430, 46G, II, less S20,33S33 paid
to Mclean county before the filing of said
opinion, in the State Treasury
These funds do net belong to the state nor
to the counties, but to the tax payer; and
some provision should be made to return the
same to the tax payer, er to enable him
TO receive lAc benefit thereof | must
confess the subject is attended with Difficult
ties, but the wisdom of the Legislature will
devise some method to do substantial justice
to all parties concerned.
ESTIMATES.
IsuLjo,l estimates for appropriations orthe
years 1870, 1876 and 1877 the amount Of which,
for each Of the years 1876 and 1877, may be
taken as the probable amount of money re-
CURED to be raised by taxation for all pur-
poses for said two years, by the leves of 1870
and 1876 The appropriations for 1870 and
1876 will lie made by this General Assembly !:
those for 1915 will be paid out Of the levy of
1874, The appropriations for 1877 will be
made by the General Assembly to bepaid out
of the leAy Of 1876, made during the existence
of this General Assembly.
1t is the duty Of this General Assembly to
fix the gross amount Of revenue to be raised
by taxation in each of the years 1915 and
1876, and provide for the levy thereof 1t is
a difficult and delicate matter to make this
estimate, especially for the levy Of 1876 to
cover appropriations to be made by the next
General Assembly. One cannot forcseo The
wants of the state in 1877, nor anticipate the
temper and wishes Of the Thirtieth General
Assembly.
In making these estimates beyond the
amounts fixed by law, have been guided by
the expenses of the last two years; the estl.
mates of other officers, by the reports sub
mitted through me to the General Assembly,
and by the probable wants Of the future.
Total estimates for 1875. ....... 500
lS7G..,....... 2,725, 400
1S71.......... 2,129,700
Thr estimates for 1915 and 1876 are $780,
900 less than the appropriations made by the
last General Assembly. The Legislature in
its wisdom may deem it best to modify them.
In my opinion, levy of $?,OOO,OOO in 1873,
and 81 100000 in 1876, forrevenue, andSl ,OOO,-
0O0 per annum for schools, will answer the
purposes of the State Government.
Hoping that your stay at the capital may
be pleasant; that your health may be pre-
served: that your deliberations may be har
monious and marked with wisdom; and that
your legislation may advance the interests Of
the people and the prosperity OF he state,
have the honor to submit this message to the
Twenty.ninth General Assembly.
JOHN l.. BEyERIDGE.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
January 6, 1870.