Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-11-21
rIgcAl YnAn AND AFrnoFHIATl0N

In the last annual report from this de-
partment as follows:
"In making this report 10 the close
" the fiscal year, August 81, 1883. ~ |
the law requires, respectfully call the |
attention uf your excellency to The |
complications In adjusting the states |
accounts, resulting from the fact that
the appropriation year aud the tiscal |
wear end At different dates. the apprn- |
priation year ending February 18th |
OF each year and the fiscal year end
ing August 81 Of each year"
II the appropriations were made to
end with the fiscal year, on tue 3l-t |
day of August, Instead Of February %,
the accounts of this office would be
greatly simplified and the comptroller
would be enabled to present more con-
cisely and intelligibly to tbs
general public the receipts and
disbursements of given year.
Under the present arrangt meut there
are six months between the daies on
which the fiscal year and the apprO-
priaIion year ends, and to make AN
estimate of the probable receipts and
disbursements we find IL necessary 10
consider part either of two fiscal
years or a part of two appropriation
and the change does not APP
pear to have been made with n view of
| Improvement upon the old method,
but rather 10 meet the conditions which
existed at the time of the assembling
OF the Sixteenth legislature. The first
| Legislature tine Efficiently which met
under the constitution of 1875, made
| appropriations for the support
OF the government from SIP.
TENDER, 1876 to December 81, 1878.
The Sixteenth legislature which as
sembls in January, 1879, found the
government without any appropr a.
tirns to pay current expenses, and to
Immediately provide for this emer-
geucy an appropriation was made for
| two months, fr IN January l to Feb
ruary %, 1879, thus relieving
the embarrassment arising from
the want Of appropriations for the cur
rent expenses Of the government, and
at the same time giving the legislature
more time to consider such economic
| features as might be incorporated in
| the general appropriation bill for the
next two years. UNder this condition
Of things an appropriation was made
| TO March l., 1879, and
afterwards for two years
from March |. Since that time the
beginning OF the appropriation year
has been March l. AS before stated,
this system unnecessarily complexities
the states accounts.
The law requires that all the ae-
counts of the state shall be closed by
August 81 Of each year; at that date
the taxes for the year are all collected
aud in the hands of the treasurer.
The appropriation year should also
be made to end on the 31st of August
OF each year, so that the expenses for
the next year may begin with the re-
ceipts for that year. The receipts and
expenses would then run side by side,
and would furnish more salts
nctury data Tor PURPOSES of
comparison and will be much
safer guide for legislation than can be
had under the present plan, which
fixes dates six months apart for the
ending OF the fiscal year and the APP
preparation year.
SPECIAL SCHOOL FUND ACCOUNT AND
TEN PER CENT WARRANT ACCOUNT.
BY reference To the statement of
these accounts inttabies Nos IS and as,
II will be seen that there is balance
OF SlO,l79.75 to the special fund ac
count, ana 81 1853 IS ~ the ten per cent
warrant account These balances ac.
, crued to these accounts IN the ( How
ing manner: On July 6, 1876, an act
was isssed providing for the sale oi
state bonds to pay bonds which be-
came due and to provide for
the floating Indebtedness aud for
deficiencies in the revenue. The act
} in directing what disposition should
> be made Of the proceeds of the sale q
. the bonds provided that $4OO, OOC
3 should be set aside TO pay OUTSTANDING
3 warrants on the school fund, and
} $50, 900 for the payment of outstanding
, ten per cent. Understanding treasury
l warrants, issued prior to January Is
, 1861. These sums we're accordingly
set aside from the proceeds Of th,
Q sale OF bonds and special accounts
4 opened for same. A sufficient time II
IL believed has elapsed for the presenta
I ton Of all claims 10 be paid from thes,
r appropriations and the accounts nov
: have TO their credit, as stated above
: $40 479 10 and $LS59.S5, respect
;. lively. The law authorizes tn
I sale OF the bonds, provided
Y that after payment OF tn,
= several classes OF Indebtedness emu
y merated in the act, the balance, III apy
g should be used in retiring the bono
q issued under that act. These bond
e cannot be purchased, and, ia conse
L quence, the balances to the credit q
II these accounts have been long Twin,
lule In the treasury, and must con
q tinue so unless appropriated TO som
d other uses by legislative enact
o ment. In view of our prpsen
financial condition / would suggss
Ie that the sum now 10 the credit of III
Y two accounts mentioned be transferre
d TO the general revenue account.
y TAXES PAYABLE 10 THE CONT
TRoLLER.
Reference is made TO table No. a
y Tor statement of the accom-
0t the comptroller for tptei,
= taxes made pay able by law directly I
, hlm. This statement shows IN
y amounts received from the sever,
y sources since January, 1888, and IN
dispositions made OF the same.
Ie INVESTMENT OF PERMANENT scHoo
IN FUND