The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-06-21
And we have left as
expenses Cfgovern.
nent proper.......'
&692,935 25

expenses 0fgoyern' .,oo 40. a.
ment proper.......' Foo-'o"" -"
This includes, however, s71,9S4 Al ex-
nenses of the last session Of the Legislature;
and as the sessions are only held once every
two wears, the average expense OF that Dody
Der annum will be $35, 092 20. Making the
proper deduction for this, and we have as
the average necessary expense OF the state
government per annum S656,9i3.O5. l
have deducted the amount paid out for The
penitentiary during the year-namely.
sS3. 93I 29-for although only $40 1882
was paid into the Treasury by that inslitu-
ton, thus makingit cost the State S64,77l.91,
vet there is an offer by responsible persons
to lease tue institution and pay all expenses,
and revenue to the State besides; so that,
II not managed hereafter so as to be OF no
expense 10 the State, 1t may be leased so as
to accomplish that object.
When the Legislature OF lS7l"'S met II
found the ordinary expenses OF tue STATE
over 81 100000. The laws passed by that
body. together with the biennial sessions OF
the Legislature, have only had their iuii
effect during the last year, aud they nave
verified the estimate OF the late Auditor,
William +. Taylor, in the reduction maze
in our expenses. The entire credit OF that
amendment recurring biennial sessions and
10 the Legislature which met IN 1877. Inc last
Legislature, controlled by the Readi busters,
made no reduction OF expenses. The party
in power defeated the effort which was
made in that direction, and some OF its
leaders introduced bills looking to the in-
crease Of expenses.
The Treasurcr's report shows revenue
for last year, other than from loans, Of
%. S77. 800. IA considerable increase over
the wear before. OF this sum SlG7, 1926
was for cole ctions OF taxes in arrears,
while the late Auditor reported as collected
on the same account during the year 1879
S14S 63S 81. This shows gain in this item
of S18,S1S.72, which is not surprising when
we remember that the money was due by
officers 10 default, against many OF whom
Mr.. Taylor had obtained judgments. (See
Senate Doc. No. II. communication from
Auditor Massey.) Whatever other increase
appears in the revenue Is due 10 the IN
creased prosperity OF the State, which has
furnished more property for taxation, ana
enabled the Taxpayers to meet their taxes
more promptly, and to the fact that the Au-
ditor, under laws passed In 1879, has been
able to get prOmpter settlements from the
treasurers.
The revenue for the four years preceding
1880 averaged S2.6l6.57454; for the year
1878 1t was S2,63l 672.25, aud for the year
1879 80 Gas, S9907. We can very safely
count on a revenue OF not less than $4,000
600 for tie future. The Auditor tells US
that the reduction of the valuation OF real
estate by the late reassessment is S1l, 49,
446.47. This will cause a decrease OF reye-
nue. OF not over S5S.O0O. But this reduction
will be more than made up by the 500 miles
of new railway under construction in this
State, which will be worth when completed
fully S12,000,000. In addition, they will
open up mining interests and will create
taxable values aegtegating much larger
sum than the actual value OF the railways
themselves. Besides, we have the constant
increase of property caused by the growth
OF our cities, which is added TO the assess
ments from year to year. Allowing, then,
| for the loss OF revenue from the reassess-
ment of lands and from the decision Of the
| Supreme Court Of the United States de-
claring the tax on our coupons unconstitu-
tional, an additional loss Of about $4,000
and it will be seen that the estimate OF
s., SOC, 900 annual revenue will not be un'
reasonable.
II from this annual revenue of.....S 100000 0C
We deduct for ex-
| penses OF State
government says 100000 90
For annual school
fund.-. ......... 100000 90