Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-24
HENRY COUNTY FINANCES.
EDITOR OF THE NORTHWEST

EDITOR OF THE NORTHWEST
1 once more respectfully ask YOU
permission to reply in general way
to certain editorials and other allus
ions in those "Street Corner" solilo
quies published in the Signal, in ref
erence to the surplus of $4,000 in the
building fund, which will be the prob
able result of three years collection
above sthe economic expenditure
for all purposes for the same length
of time. Allow me to say that ever
since the people of Henry county have
so highly honored me by delegating
to me the authority to represent them
as an assistant in the management OF
the financial affairs of the county, ii
has been my highest aim and noblest
ambition to learn by deliberate in.
vestigation how to discharge the
duties imposed upon me SO that the
combined result of the action OF
all officers with whom have the hon
or to be associated shall deserve the
commendation Of every worthy citi.
zen in the county. l have not been
needless nor unmindful of the truism
that safe and discreet way of judg-
ing of the future is to scrutiniZe the
results of the past, and the record OF
the building fund for the six years
preceding my incumbency warrants
me in making the following state
ment, to-wit: .-.
That the average levy for each OF
these six years has been and Il tenths
of a mill and the average expenditure
for each of these six years has been
$10,695.S6, and the average levy for
the three years of my incumbency is
l and 81 tenths of mill, O difference
of each year of the small fraction OF
I of a mill; and the total average
collection each year, including the
$1,000 0transfered from the poor fund, is
$12,373.33. Now if the average ex-
penditure of these three years would
equal that of the former six years,
then in that case there would only be
left at the close of the fiscal year Sept.
1st, 1894, the modest sum of $5,032.4 Al,
but in order to make it possible to re-
and at the same time pay a debt OF
$4,000 of Observation-Disclosures ofthe
county fund remaining unpaid, it will
be necessary to not allow the expend-
itures of the building fund to exceed
$1,000 for each of these three years
ending Sept. 4th, 1894, and thus save
$3695.86 each year from the average
expenditure of each of the six years
preceding. This accounts for $11,-
097.58 of the surplus in the building
fund which the editor of the sigma
claims to be the accumulation of an
unlawful levy, but the fact is that
every dollar of this surplus might
have been expended on inside repairs
furniture and appliances found in
every court house of recent
ion in Ohio, and specifications and
plans are now on file in the auditor s
Office which have been urgently
pressed to secure the privilege to
furnish the same. But as the com.
missioners now have the assurance
that the roof of the court house is as
good as when first constructed and
will give good service for the next five
years at least, they are satisfied now
since the roof is secure, that no better
use could possibly have been made oi
this surplus than to pay a debt that
must be paid either in this way or by
direct levy, and in this method OF
procedure they have my unwavering
support and the support of every man
with whom | have spoken, who has
given this subject the reflection neces
sary to correct comprehension Of
the good that will result to the tax
payers of the county by sustaining in
the future the county fund in the per
formance of its own obligations con
sistent with honest and economic ex
penditure, and every public spirited
man in the county is willing to pay
his proportion of taxes necessary tt
meet all expenses in harmony with
wise management in the speedy pay
ment of the county debt, and this
transfer has been made to assist il
the accomplishment of this purpose
and for no other reason. And if this
same transfer could have been made
in June, 1890, when Mr.. Russell made
the levy of mills as the prospective
seed that was to spring up and spon
taneously yield revenue sufficient tc
pay the bonded debt of $165, 900 at OF
before maturity, and at the same time
that he made that levy, if he had seer
to it that the levy for the other county
funds had been fixed to yield receipts
at least equal to expenditures, ther
the $4,000 due Jan. 1st, 1898, coulG
have been truly paid, and the pay
ment of $1,000 interest would have
been. saved to the taxpayers of the
county; but there was no surplus OF
hand at that time to apply in thai
way, and the levy for all the Other
funds was SO fixed that every dollar Of
this sinking fund of great expectation
and momentous responsibility wat
taken and expended to operate the
county fund, regardless of the evil re
suits that follow the appropriation o.
sinking fund money to unlawful use
This result was inevitable, as the fol
lowing statement from the records
will show, to-wit: The average annu
al levy for all county funds, including
the general ditch fund (Which is large
ly supported by special assessments
during Mr. Russells three years o.
service as auditor, was 9 and 81 tenths
mills, which compared with self sus
tanning basis at the close of his ad
mistration shows the following to bt
Crue.
County Fund, receipts below expenditures s2l152 s.
Building 7180 q
Sol. Relief " 1853 i
Poor $3.50 81
Gen. Ditch" 1856 8