The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-25

should be held responsible on their
bonds for the payment Of the state
and school tax to the state treasurer at
the time fixed by law. By this or some
similar mode the state officers viii
know exactly the amount of revenue
they can depend upon to meet state
obligations, and when it will be forth
coming. AS it has been under the ter
ritOrial system heretofore in practice,
the officers never knew how much tax
would be abated or how much col
iected.
The law requiring collectors to re-
ceiVe in payment of territorial taxes,
district court certificates, issued for
jury service and witness fees. while
intended as a benefit to the holders.
has failed of its purpose and experience
has demonstrated that its greatest ben
eht is to spectators, who buy such Ger
t1hcates at a heavy discount, hold
them until there is money in the treas
ury for their redemption, or when tax
paying time comes around supply
them to bankers and merchants for
the payment of taxes which should
be paid in cash. While such payment
discharged territorial obligation. it
demorahzed its financial affairs. the
officers never being able to foresee in
what kind of funds the Caxes would
be paid, and consequently could not ar
range ahead for the meeting of the
public obligations. This law should be
changed and provision made for pay
ing jury service and witness fees as
soon as the service is performed.
THE FISCAL YEAR.
Experience has demonstrated that the
practice which has heretofore obtain
ed of ending the fiscal year on the 31st
OF December is both announcement and
detrimental to the public business. If
the fiscal year ends on the 31st of De-
cember, and the legislature meets on
the second Monday in January, the
state officers will not have sufficient
time in which to prepare their reports.
They cannot close their books until
the close of business on the last day Of
the fiscal year, and it will be impossi-
Die to get correct reports from the
different state institutions, have the
financial reports properly audited and
presented to the governor in time for
him to prepare his suggestions and rec
concentrations thereon, before the
meeting of the legislature
The officers should have at least a
month after the close of the fiscal year
in which to prepare their reports be-
fore the legislature meets. [ therefore
respectfully suggest that the state
laws provide that the fiscal year shall
end on the 30th of November, and that
all state taxes be paid into the treas
ury on or before that date
ESTIMATES FOR 1896.
Estimated expenses of state govern
ment and maintenance of state insti-
tutions for the year 1896:
Legislative OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
legislature, ninety days session. efgh-
teen state Senators, per diem ST, $3.50;
mileage of senators, S257; officers of
senate. committee clerks, messengers. /
etc, S4,S20; forty-five representatives,
per diem, "a, SIS, 200; mileage of repre-
$500; officers of house, com
mittee clerks, messengers, etc, 81
$40; stationery and incidental expenses, |
$4,000; printing, governors messages, |
reports of officers, daily minutes, laws, /
journals, etc, $4,000; governors mes |
senger, 500; secretary's messenger, /
500; total, S4S,977.
Executive acknowledgements |
salary, $1,000; secretary of state, sal /
airy, $1,000; state auditor, salary, 81. 800; I
state treasurer, salary, 81, 900; attorney /
general, salary, $500; superintendent /
Of public instruction, salary. 81, 500 gov I
epnor's private secretary, salary, s., 200; /
clerical assistants, secretary's office. |
81 700; clerk for auditors office, salary, I
1900; books, records, stationery and in
,idental expenses of the several offices
If the executive department, 81, 500; T
light, heat and janitor's compensation
Tor the offices of the executive depart
nent, $4,000; total, $40, 100.
Judicial Department-Thre judges Of
he supreme court, salary, each $1,000,
1000; rent, heat, light and janitOrs
compensation, supreme court cham