The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-20
THURSDAY.
CoMPTRoLLER's DEPARTMENT.

The comptroller has purchased 1or
the board of education as additional
investments of the permanent school
fund, $1,000 of Webb county, $lO,OOO
of Shackelford county, and $4,000 OF
Kaufman county bonds. He deposit
ed with the state treasurer, yesterday,
$4,000 Of BeXar county bonds pre-
viously purchased by him for the
same fund.
AS regards the reduced revenue
balances, it is stated that when the
les islature met in 1879, Gov. Roberts,
influenced by a similar state of facts,
vetoed the school appropriation, and
at his instance the legislature reduced
the school tax, but in six or eight
months there was surplus of half a
million of dollars in the treasury.
The following is the text of the let
ter of the comptroller to Governor
Ireland, previously referred to in THE
STATESMAN on the subject of the
manner of distributing the school
fund to the counties:
His Excellency John Ireland, Governor:
SIR-The books of this department
show that on December there was in
| the state treasury to the credit of the
general revenue the sum of $l46,-
| 1881. You are aware that this is the
only fund upon which we can draw to
meet the expenses of the state gov
eminent, and that the above sum is
but little more than sufficient to meet
the current expenses for one month.
1t will be remembered that on July
LIST ult.. as required by law, the board
of education apportioned to the sew
eral counties their proportion of
the common school fund, amount
ing in the aggregate to $1,399, 1913
| The law requires that the amounts
due the several counties shall be paid
by the tax collectors to the county
treasurer out of the first money col
lected on the tax rolls of the respective
counties, thus interrupting and almost
entirely stopping the flow of money
into the treasury until the amount OF
the school certificates held by the
county treasurer shall have been paid
in full. To pay this large sum and in
addition the amounts due the asses
Sors of the several counties for asses
sing the taxes of the current year
would require the collection OF
an amount equal to nearly three
fourths of our entire revenues which
the law directs shall be applied in the
counties to the payment of the above
claims, the treasurer meanwhile re-
ceiving but little money, while the de-
mands upon the treasury continue as
great as at any other time. The in
convenience that such an interruption
of receipts into toe treasury might
occasion is apparent to your excel
lency. Heavy monthly expenditures,
with but meagre receipts, must of ne
cessity result IN financial embarrasS-
ment. Heretofore the revenue bal.
ance has enabled the treasurer to meet
any demands for the expenses of the
government during the period when
receipts from the tax gatherers were
light,
The cash balance of revenues has
J now been reduced to $146, 1888, and we
have no surplus with which to meet
extraordinary contingencies. The col
, lectors are now paying over the taxes
collected by them to the county treas
urers of the several counties in salts.
faction of the school fund due as
shown by the apportionment OF the
board of education, hence our month
ly receipts into the treasury are now
less than our monthly expenses. These
, facts will suggest to your excellency
the propriety of change IL
the method OF paying to the several
, counties the money due them in ap
, portionment OF the school fund. 1t is
: obvious that to maintain the present
system will necessitate the carrying Of
, a large amount of revenue on hand il
excess of the amount necessary tt
meet the actual annual expenses o.
the GOV eminent. This is necessary il
: order to enable the treasurer to con
f tinue payment from the treasury
!. while the taxes are being disbursed il
4 the several counties, as fast as col
lected, in satisfaction of the schoo
!, fund due the counties. Our pres
T ent plan of paying the countie
3 the school fund due them must
!. when fully understood, be con
: ceded to be radically wrong. Tn
r law requires the comptroller to furn
ish the board of education on July Is