Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-10-12
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49," l.IAAAA -sH a
No Cesatsss Have Ksfass4 ~ Raise tAs
DsAeiency TAI.
THE report sent out from Sioux Falls
TO the effect that some OF the counties
Of the state had refused to levy the =
mill deficiency state tax which was Or
derod by the state board, seems to be
without foundation, as the state audi
tor has received returns from about all
the counties and they have all levied
the tax. Neither is there any founda-
ton for the statement that the tax ii
unconstitutional. as the Supreme Court
rendered an opinion to the Legislature
at their last session to the effect that
a levy could be made to meet deficief-
cies that might exist. State Auditor
Nipple, in speaking of this deficiency
tax, says:
ut is quite interesting to note some
OF the comments made by state papers
on this deficiency tax made by the
State Board of Assessment, and espe-
cially some who claim that the Repab-
lican party is to blame for the whole
situation. The facts of the matters are
that all parties have had mel III the
Legislature who have aided the state
very materially toward getting In
debt. The chief worker on the APP
propriation bill two years ago was u
Democrat, and the Independents and
Democrats had a majority on the com
mittee. The past winter some OF the
hardest work done for public institu-
tions vas by Democrats and lndepend-
ents. -As u result the state las Ell
cicncies to meet. The whole trouble
started with statehood. In the first
place the Constitution limited the levy
10 an amount insufficient to meet the
demands of the state. In the next
place the public institutions were so
scattered that the pressure brought
about by the combined efforts of the
representatives OF the various counties
where they are located received apprO-
priations which could not be met by
the revenues OF the state. The State
Board Of Assessment in 1890 made a
horizontal raise of assessment. or the
state would be in debt worse than 1t
Is. Tnen to follow this the appiopria-
tiols were greater every year than the
income of the state. Some people seem
to think that the state officers and
their offices use much of this, but a
comparison will show that no state in
the Union runs as cheaply as we do.
The salary of the state officers and
supreme and circuit judges is just $780,
Odo per annum Tooffset this the state
auditors office. through the insurance
department., turns owe about $4,000
Il year and the other Offices about &c.
600, so that virtually the state only
pays for the expense of running the
offices. and that amounts the present
fiscal year to 1913. I199. %. The next
great expense is the asylum for the in
sane. which has an appropriation OF
ss9.U00, but which sum is offset by
about $50, 600 special tax by counties.
Tne p%enitentiary with S32, 366, reform
school $50. 346. and school for deaf
mutes with Sl3, 900 appropriations, u
total S66.6ll, are necessities. This sum
added to the expense of the state de-
partment and the 10000 for the asy-
lam. which is not met by taxation by
counties. makes "A total of $la0, 404. A
session OF the Legislature every two
Years adds an average of S35, 900 a year.
The Soldiers Home gets $25. 725 a year.
the public examiner 81. 100 u year and
computing this amount you have Sls3.-
229. and have not considered the eX-
pense OF conveying convicts to the pen
itentiary. burial Of deceased soldiers.
Insurance on state buildings. compen-
satian for land office clerks, expense of
State Board of. Equalization, together
with a few minor necessities. and you
have fully $500. 900 expense, which is
absolutely indispensable.
The assessment of the state is Sl35,
ooQ,t0l A 3-mill levy. if all collected.
would return S219.OW. but with the
usual loss in collections, S22225.000 is all
that a be reasonably expected. You
an easily see that it takes 100000 to
run the branches referred to. and that
you have about 80. G00other resources.
How is the state going to pay SIS, $50
for university expense, $40. 400 for nor
ma schools, Sll 300 for agricultural
college. SlD.92.J for school Of mines.
$1,000 for militia. $4,000 for board of
charities and corrections, 81. 800 for
state fair aid. IS, 100 for railroad com
missioner, $500 for commissioned of
labor. 81, 500 for engineered irrigation.
81 600 for board Of health. Fl 1000 for
maintaining blind pupils, and have
about f~orty-iive other appropriation
laws in effect, giving bounties. etc.
II h allow these same institutions
to run up deficiencies, all ont Of 30
UO. We want to see their figures.
The fact of the matter is the state has
got to do two things to run on a bust
ness-like method. change the Constitu-
ton allowing a larger levy, then cut
of some of the aid to the various insti-
tutioIis and make the institutions run