Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-02-18
necial Correspondence to the Bulletin

Special Correspondence to the Bulletin.
The work Of the session may now
be said to be entered upon in earnest.
When they actually talk Of providing
the money to run the State, it is evil
dent they mean business, and when
the cloth is provided then can they
begin to plan definitely about the cut
of the coat. The Committee on
Ways and Means having prepared a
estate financial it came up in the
House for discussion, and after a
couple days of work was passed. 1t
provides for an increase of State tax
of one-fourth of mill. The COM
mittee recommended an advance of
half a mill. But a measure was
adopted just before this was consid-
cred, whereby the State Executive
Council were authorized to transfer a
hundred thousand dollars from the
Agricultural College surplus funds,
which can only be used in the pur-
chase Of L. S. or State bonds at par,
to- the General Fund, and issue a
State Bond drawing five per cent. in
terest for the amount. This would
give the State the immediate use Of
about fifty thousand dollars, now
lying idle in the Treasury because
there are no such bonds for sale
at par. And moreover, it would
require less tax, for it would really
be borrowing that amount by the
State. So the amount was cut down
to the quarter of a mill in the finance
bill. And more than that, the vote
was afterwards reconsidered and the
whole thing figured over to see if it
could not be reduced to the old figure
of two mills on the valuation, but it
could not in the Judgment of the
House be done.
But it must be said right here, that
the House the next day decided to re-
consider the vote by which the Agri-
cultural College money was to be
transferred to the general fund, as
the contracting of a State debt did
not set well on their stomachs. 1t is
now proposed to turn that amount
over to the school fund to be let out
in the different counties, and thus
avoid increasing the State debt, as
this plan would, while giving new
bonds, make an endorsal on present
outstanding bonds to the school
fund. Which plan may be finally
adopted | cannot say, but mention
the action taken thus far to show the
disposition to avoid the State Debt,
which appears to be very promi-
nent.
This Finance bill! contains num-
Der of very important features. In
regard to the listing of property, it is
provided that stocks of different kinds
shall be rated at their cash value,
and that there shall be no difference
made in rating credits and real or
personal property, A strenuous eff
fort was made to require the County
Treasurer to apply taxes proffered on
the oldest tax due, and that the re-
ceipt given to the tax payer should
be evidence that there was no tax
back of that date due. This was
thought to be too much trouble to
county treasurers, and after a long
discussion was stricken out. Iwould
have been glad to see some such pro-
vision retained. The tax on peddlers
is provided for, and l should say
pretty well put on. The State equal
ling board are prohibited from rails
ing the aggregate valuation.
But the most important new proyi-
sion is that which makes counties
directly responsible to the State for
the State tax levied on their respec-
tive counties. This will save a great
deal of complication in keeping the
accounts and be a matter of profit to
the counties also, for all the interest
and penalties on dellnquencies of tax
will accrue to the counties.
The bill also reduces the highest
rate Of interest on delinquent taxes
to two per cent. a month instead of
three as now.
/ have dwelt at some length on
this bill, as it is Of vital and general
interest.
While speaking of finances, l may
as well say that the House has agreed
to raise the fees of county surveyors
to four dollars day and fifty cents
per copy of survey, an advance OF a
dollar a day and twenty-five cents on
copies. But the Senate refused to
raise the salaries of State officers, and
the House, after the Senate had pass
ed bill to raise the compensation Of
county trcasurers, put it in its 'little
bed" Economy is the order of the
day, and it is hard work to get sal
aries raised. But the House took a
liberal streak by appointing an extra
clerk. which seemed in the minds Of
many essential on account of the
feeble voice of Mr.. Logan, which fact
it seems should have been known by
some of his friends before he was
oloctad Tho mist ke NAV he TINS