The record-union., 1894-12-17
GENERAL FUND.

Excess of receipts over ex-
penditures 1or The two Tiscal
years..................... SoO4, SAG II
GENERAL FUND.
On June 9, 1893, the general fund be-
came ex hausted, and at the close of the
fiscal year, June 30th, 1t had been over
drawn to the extent OF Sl36,Ol2 W. Cash
payments were not resumed until the 1st
of January following, at which time the
amount of outstanding unpaid warrants
was over 81, ,5UO,U00.
That such a condition OF affairs should
exist at any time is TO be depIored, but it
was especially unfortunate at that partic-
ular time, as the State was suffering from
the general financial distress then pre-
vailing, and TO have the State suspend
payment subjected numbers of contract
ors, merchants and employees Of the State
To great Inconvenience and no small Pc
cunlary loss.
This condition of the general fund is
not unusual; IL has existed, with few eX-
ceptions, every year since the formation
of the State, but ii can ana should be
not impress too strongly upon your
excellency and the Legislature the
necessity of so doing. II is mainly due
TO the passage by the Legislature OF a
large number of bills carrying large ap-
propriations for particular purposes,
WHICH DSCOIllo lIlIleOldL6Iy dNdll3Dl0 IOT
use but to meet which the revenue is not
collected and paid into the State
Treasury until the 1irst or the calendar
year following. In consequence the
money III the treasury 10 meet liabilities
already created becomes exhausted, with
the result just noted.
The remedy Tor this is simple. All
special appropriations should not be
made available until the first of January
following their enactment. The money
will then have been raised and paid into
the State Treasury.
SCHOOL FUND.
For the forty yfourth fiscal year the tax
levy for school purposes was 81, ,966, Ia.
The actual amount collected from prop
erty tax was 81, ll5,9ll y3, an excess OF
$l49,747 90.
For the forty-fifth fiscal year there
was levied for school purposes s., ,057, ,279.
There was collected 2,20l, ,144 y. OF
which S72, ,75S 9S was for back railroad
taxes for the years 1880 to 1885, inclusive
The receipts from other Sources amount
to SOS, ,3l6 96. These amounts, together
with the balance from the forty-fourth
fiscal year, aggregate So, 36l, ,637 49,
The census report for 1894 gives the
number of school children in the State,
between the ages of D and II years. at 3l3, =
637. The amount necessary to be raised
for school purposes for the forty-seventh
and forty -eig nth fiscal years is 81, 800, ,9lS,
or s., 1875, 459 per year.
The total securities State and county
bonds held in trust for the school fund
amount to So, S33, 400.
Since the Controllers last biennial re-
port county bonds held i'll trust for the
support OF common schools have been re-
deemed to the amount OF 1921, 400.
During the same time county bonds
were purchased TO the amount of $500, 800
The increase in bonds held in trust for
the support of common schools is, tL ere
fore, 1869, l50.
OTHER FUNDS.
The receipts Of the sinking and interest
fund have been S534, $50 OF, and the dis
bursements S472, ,S23 %, leaving balance
of $62.037 o.
State school land fund receipts have
been $40, ,921 10, and the disbursements
$S04, l2S 62, leaving a balance OF $50, 79S As
Total bonds held in trust for the sup.
port of the State University, Sg37, 800.
Receipts of the State University fund
S233, ,9I1 SO; disbursements S233, 1874 10
balance on hand, S237 81.
Receipts of the State Library fund, S4S,-
O05 OIL; disbursements, S42,007 81; balance
on haud, st. .09S 64.
A balance of Sl5, ,72S 70 remains in spe.
cial Mendocino Asylum fund over anc
above the amount directed TO be raised by
the Lea isiature under the Act of Fehru.
ary 20, 1889, and a suit is now pending tc
determine whether or not the Directors
may use 1t.
Receipts of the San Francisco depor
sinking fund, sd. l55.
Receipts OF the Whittier Reform Schoo
fund, S5I,91S 10; disbursements, S42,-
95T SO.
In the building and loan inspection
fund there is balance of s., ,O36 10.
The funded debt of the Stale, held in
trust for the university and school funds
amounts To 81, 2S2, 800. All of tlis. exceDt
$1,000, bears per cent. Interest.
TAX ON COLLATERAL INHERITANCEs.
The Controller refers to the Act passed
bv the last Legislature establishing "a tax
on each Sl00 on the market value OF col.
lateral inheritances for the benefit of tht
school fund, and says That Willie the re-
sults thus far have been small, he be-
heyes that in time it will prove q iruitfu
source of revenue for the common
schools.
SALE OF PROPERTY FOR TAXES.
Under this heading Mr.. Colgan devotes
considerable space 10 an explanation o
the difficulties encountered in enforcing
the provisions of the Political Code (see-
tion 3773l relating TO the sale OF property
to the State for delinquent taxes. y large
amount OF this property had been escap'
ing taxation by reason OF ihe failure o.
the owners 20 redeem II, thus leaving The
title in the State. He says:
"In conjunction with the Attorney
General, az sents were appointed in several
of the counties. By way OF coinpensa-
ton, these agents were 10 receive tie ):
fee allowed by law Tor service oi notice
when collected from the REDEEM ptioner
and Is per cent commission on the State''
portion of the amount paid on account o
such redemptions the latter TO be allowed
by the Stale Board OF Examiners.
''Through the efforts Of these agent!
much of the delinquent property has beer
redeemed, resulting IN The payments o
large amounts into the State and county
treasures, and the restoration to the as
sessment rolls OF property valued a
thousands of dollars.
'It ia quite natural that such an CT