The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-04-20
AN ESTIMATE
BY THE COMPTROLLER OFTHE
STATE
for one Year, from July1
10 June 80.
CONTROLLERS OFFICE.
AUSTIN, April 10, 1882 .

| shOWnD by the last assessments OF property
the following information is furnished:
1. AdvalOrem tax assessed
for 1852, .............., 81 ,So9, All II
for 1882. ................. 2s7 ,72a o.
3. Occupation taxes col
lected by county collectors
Except retail liqour deal
ers tax ................... 260 200 q
4. Tax from retail liquor
dealers. ................... 800, 200 q
;. Receipts from redemp-
tons on lands sold to the
| state. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 20 900 TX
@. AID valOrem tax collected
at comptrOller's office on
lands situated in unOr-
ganiZed counties. 2S,6S0 OK
I. Tax on commercial trav-
ellers collected by comp
troller..............:...... 100000 Of
8. Tax from railroad COM
panies for passenger
travel..................... 24,O4O OF
o. Tax from insurance COM
panies: .......:........... 1a,4GO o.
10. Tax from other special
sources collected by the
comptroller. ....:........ $500 Of
IL. Office fees from the
several departments. -. 1O6,e49 81
Total collectable for one
year ..................... S2,542, O72 sc
From the above amount we deduct the
following items
! 1. Cost of assessing ad va
loren tax, in counties at
4per cent. average...... s55.976 A
>. Cost OF assessing revenue
poll tax, in counties. at
per cent. ayerage......... 11,5Os ~
3. Cost of collecting al va.
loren tax, In counties Mt
| per cent. average. 60 013 20
| 4. Cost of collecting reVe-
| nue. poll tax, at per cent
average ...:............. u,5CS 93
.. Cost of collecting Occu-
patton taxes on regular
| occupations. retail liquor
| dealers, and redemption
of lands sold to the state 10000 90
| o. Sales to state for current
and prior years, errors in
assessments at 10 per cent. 1924 90
| /. Delinquents and insOlv-
ents, at 20 per cent. 800. 5l,544 90
Total deductions. 800. $685. 52 81
Deducting this amount of S36S, 49,. 81
from the given estimate OF amounts col
lectable (S2,5l2 ,072.50) leaves as annual
revenue receipts 81, la, 629.69. From this
amount (S2, la, 629 69) deduct one-fourth
OF same sum for school purposes, accord
ing to the appropriation law now in force,
leaves as net revenue for support
of the general expenses of the
state government Sl,630, 222.27. This
amount OF net revenue (S1, $3.50, 222 27)
may be with safety estimated as our
net revenues within the space of one
year, from July to June 50, rate of tax
alton and values Seing held as uniform
with the year 1882, and collections of
taxes not hindered by any relief laws. In
this connection it Is deemed proper to
m of he Inf,
and disbursements of actual cash as
shown by the comptroller report for any
fiscal year cannot be taken as q guide for
the actual revenues and disbursements
of year. The reason, on inspection of
one OF the reports OF cash receipts and
disbursements, will he apparent. 1t will
be found that the items or receipts show
cash from back assessments and sources
OF enclosed accounts that no longer exist
In any degree comparative with these
sources in former years. Since 1876, each
years account has been more narrowly
brought into immediate settlement until
now, (say on July 1, 1882 there will be
but small amounts to be estimated as re-
ce1pts Tor revenue. except such amounts
as are derived from the current taxes I'M
der present existing laws. For this rea-
son in the above estimate there is in
cluded simply the actual annual live net
receipts that come IRON liabilities of the
taxpayers Tor current year, and no de-
fusion is INDUCED in as to speculative re-
ceipts from uncertain quarters. For
example, on reference to the comptrol-
ler's report for current year 1t will be
seen on page % that there have been
placed in suit accounts of defaulting col
lectors to the amount of $500, 5S0.06
since the beginning of my term OF office.
These accounts date back OF year prior to
1880. The amount of S59,9S0. 90 has been
fhRSa As IN hOt tah
more Will be collected is uncertain. In
making estimates it is thought prudent
to leave the receipts from uncertain and
indefinite sources as margin. rather
than let them enter as elements that may
dP"-iVe.
As to disbursements for a current year.
while not embraced in the same period
as above stated for receipts, the following
statement is given:
l. Amounts that will be
expended, say for one
year from March l, 1882,
OF February %, 1888, from
appropriations, current
usual expenses. ... 81 ,136 200 90
2. On appropriations for
former yearsnot drawn
Extraordinary expense
for lunatic asylum. 100, 900 90
3. Estimated expenses of
called session of seven
teenth legislature. ... A., 900 90
Total expenses of one year,
including the two extra
ordinary items, Nos. 2
and3-. ................... 81 ,27G 200 90
In the above estimate of expenses
(S1 ,216,00U) notice is taken that the public
debt has decreased and that Interest and
sinking fund to the amount of $S5, 900
will not be required in the ordinary
budget of expenses.
Deducting the expenses above of ST.
2I6,O0O from the receipts for one year
will leave as excess of receipts for one
year over expenses, both ordinary and
extraordinary, the amount of 1854 ,222 81.
Should you consider the extraordinary
expense of the present legislature and
the lunatic asylum included in items
and 3 above (Sl40, 0O0) as eliminated from
consideration, aud the actual regular
expenses compared with receipts, there
will be an excess of receipts in revenues
over regular current disbursements an
nually the sum of $494 ,222 81.
In fact, In round numbers, with in
creased values, IL may easily reach one
half million at our present rates of taxa
ton and all the subjects now embraced
In the tax law.
You also desire an approximate esti-
mate OF the cash balance that will be on
hand on July /, 1881.
To make such estimate properly, that il
may be safely depended on, will require |
careful examination of the sources of
cash receipts, and the occasions of dis
bursements, between now and July 1,
and cannot be prepared before the 18th
instant. Ii will be furnished you on that
date, and you will then have that data
and you will then have the data upon
which conclusions may safely be formed
of the extent to which taxation can be
reduced.
In my judgment, very substantial re-
duction can be made without danger OF
the receipts falling below the disburse-
ments. Respectfully.
w. NJ. BROWN, Comptroller.
For support of state Government,
July L, 1889, $500, 700.
OFFICE OF COMPTROLLER,
AUSTIN, April is, 1882.