The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-23
The Amendment to tho Revenue
Law Vetoed by Governor
Richards.
He Gives His Reasons for Not An
proving the Proposed
Change.
He Has No Objections Against tho General
Proposition tn Collect Taxes SEMI
Annually.


witt for filing in his Office gives his reasons
for vetoin0 the bill 40 follows: "Under
the amendments proposed in this bill one
half the taxes would become payable and
delinquent on and after the first day of
December of each year. and one-half on
n after the first day of June of each
year. The s%emi.annual payment of taxes
would unquestionably conserve the inter-
ests Of taxpayers and to q degree render
taxation less burdensome, were tho finnn-
DIAL conditions Of the state such as to war
rant the adoption OF such a measure at this
time. Ny objections to the bill do not lilo
against the general proposition to collect
taxes ~semi-annually. but are bnsed upon
the inexredisncy Of approving a measure
which would. in its PRACTICAL operations,
seriously embnrrass the state.
1.-THE floating indebtedness Of tho several
counties of the state on March l, 1892,
aggregated S476, $50. 81, Silver Bow being
the only county having no floating indebted
ness at that time. The bonded indebted
ness of the several counties at the same
date amounted to 81, 800. 1S9. SO. making a
total indebtedness of 1885. 720.09. Under
the provisions of section 793. page $50, Of
the general laws Of Montana. county treas
urers are required to post upon the door of
their Office, or the first Monday OF every
month. q list OF all warrants that they have
money in their hands to redeem or pay, m
that the interest upon such warrants will
ability of the treasurers, under this
section. to use available funds for the
payment of any outstanding warrants.
the indebtedness above quoted existed
on March l, 1892. As q matter of fact, the
moneys that were in the hands Of county
~ kkOk date yAsn nrr;lnlI> --L
had been set apart for the maintenance of
the common schools of the county md the
legal expenses therefor. and for the sink
ing fund of the county and to defrny the
interest on the bonds theu outstanding.
THE county commissioner ara COM
Of money for these purposes. The fiscal
year commences on the first day of De-
cember each year. ending on The first day
of the following December. At the begin
ming Of the fiscal year each county begins
to incur it's expenditures, and it is appar-
OF the fiscal year to pay the expenses al
ready incurred during the year. Prac-
tically. everv county in the state. with the
exception of Silver Bow, which has no
floating Indebtedness. il compelled to
IN ssgsno. its 'n neon n.l Year
md under the provisions Of house bill No.
IA would be compelled to mortgage its in
come for eighteen months in advance. pay
ing interest upon its expenditures for that
time, while now II pays such interest for
twelve months only.
tions, which show that the effect of the bill
would be injurious to the respective coun-
ties now burdened with debt. and Of ad.
vantage only when such indebtedness is
cancelled. its effect upon the state at his
time furnishes an important ground of OBJ
a. ito ThA M nrHt~ ~F Ia. --s- AS--
assembly appropriated for various purposes
the sum Of $s4o,S27.e 80, and call for its ex-
pendituIe in the creation Of public institu-
tions, etc., prior to December l, 1893. The
levy of two md one-half mills upon the
nssessed value of property for the year
meet the indebtedness of the state,
according to the most liberal estimates.
Reports now on file indicate that the to-
tai assessed value of real and personal
property for the year 1893 will not exceed
$125. 000, 900, Adding to the cash on hand
income of the state from all other sources,
and the available funds to carry on the
state government from Dec. /, 1892 to Dec.
$653, 600.
"Were I to approve house bill No. "A,
there would be $156,O0 Of taxes levied in
1893 that would not be available until June
!, 1894. This SUN would represent an in
d%ebtedness upon which tho state would be
compelled to pay interest at the rate OF six
Per cont per annum, making a total extra
outlay for interest on the part of tho state
of nearly $10.0 600.
1.-The bill is further Objectionable In that
1t would enable some to evade taxation on
personal property. In this state taxes on
personal property are not a lien Upon the real
property of the owner. and thus in many
cases property upon which there were de-
linquent taxes could be- sold or removed
from the state and thereby escape
paying Tribute for the support of
the commonwealth. To the OBJ
jeetions already cited others might DO
added of more or less weight. such as the
expense of publishing two delinquent tax
lists in each county, keeping two delin-
quent tax books ana the employment of
additional help in the Office of the county
treasurer.
"lhe executive veto can with propriety
be interposed. us against tho work OF the
accredited lawmakers of the state, only
when measures are adopted clearly in CON
flct with the constitution or likely to i'm
peril the treasury by unforeseen demands
upon tho financial resources of the govern
ment. As the effect of House Bill No, IA
would be injurious to the state, for tho rea-
sons l have outlined. under existing con-
disions. res ~ectfully withhold MY au-
proval of the same."
Ladies will be glad to know that Mrs. q A
Fishers opening will be Monday and tTpoSJ.,