Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-02-13
CODE CONTROVERSY
IOWA SENATE AND HOUSE WORKING
At CROSS PURPOSES.

Report of Treasurer Herriott Shows
Finances In Bad Shape Is
Radical Changes In the Methods of As.
sessing Property--Julien Richards Letter
! DIES MONIES, Feb. 11.-One of the
most troublesome questions which the
committees who are endeavoring to fix
! up the revised code have met with is
that of public revenue or the codifica-
ton and revision of the laws governing
the assessment of property. Every one
comedies that something must be done in
the near future to make the laws more
! Just in regard to assessments and the
! imposition of taxes, and yet the two
! houses seem to be at cross purposes over
the matter The proposed revision pro-
vides that the assessments shall be at
actual cash value. That is according to
the present law, but in that respect the
present law is not enforced and the re-
vised code prepares the way for its en-
forcement by requiring the assessors to
swear to the list as being assessed at
cash valuation. The committee i'll the
senate having become satisfied that the
legislature has the right to impose an
additional limit to the Indebtedness of
cities so that the limit Of per cent as
allowed by the constitution could be re-
duced and yet the assessment at cash
value would not permit of in
creased indebtedness, they feared that
some city would be continually asking
that the limit be raised. After consider
ing the matter carefully they have taken
an expression of opinion in the COM
mittee, and majority favor placing the
assessment for taxation at 30 per cent OF
the actual cash value of all property
and requiring that the assessor make
oath as to the correctness of the assess
ment on that basis. In the house, on
the other hand, the committee having
this part Of the code in charge, is almost
unanimous in fixing the assessment ut
the actual cash value of all property, and
providing severe penalties for evasion of
the statute. Another scheme Is to pro-
vide that all notes or other negotiable
paper must be assessed each year, and
the assessor shall be required to stamp
each note, ETC., with stamp, showing
that it has been assessed. If any such
paper does not show that it has been as
sessed each year it becomes uncollecti-
BILE. A bill for such law is now pend
ing.
The fact that the state is becoming in
need of funds and that something must
be done to prevent the necessity OF
scraping the bottom of the strong box
Mt Treasurer Herriott's Office, has been
brought forcibly to the attention OF the
members by a report which was sent to
the house from the treasurer's Office and
was printed and laid on the desks OF the
members yesterday.
Treasurer Horriott's Report.
State Treasurer Herriott's report is a
lengthy one and has caused considera-
BILE CONSERVATION among the members
who are working for large appropria-
tons for the state institutions. At the
outset it says that the condition of the
state treasury is far from being salts
factory, though it is added that the ex-
igencies are not critical, but serious.
This condition of affairs has been
brought about, it is stated, not by mis-
management or excessive appropria-
lions, but by "lack of coincidence be.
tween the income and outgo of state
funds and failure to realize sufficient
revenue from the general taxes"
: During the past two months the con.
dition of the treasury has been such that
the auditor and treasurer have been
compelled to ask the heads of the state
institutions to be satisfied with part OF
the warrants legally due them. If the
, institutions had demanded what was
, their due the treasurer would have been
: compelled to indorse the warrants "not
paid for want of funds" and the state
institutions were asked to take less than
!, the face of the warrants due them, and
the banks of Des Moines were appealed
to for temporary assistance.
The report quotes some interesting
figures, which tell the story clearly. Al
5 the commencement of the last biennia
r period, July /, 1898, the balance on hanG
t in the state treasury was $412, 1881. 45
r Receipts to July l, 1895, 1854, 251 .35
q making total for the two years Of
) 50, 937 ,232. 80. Out of this state auditor.
warrants W6T6 TSu66LIl6u W
= of 1854 1889, which was il
! excess of the receipts for thu
f biennial period of 500. 1904 ant
q decreased the balance On hand July l
l. 1895, to 1912, S5441. The revenue from
t. all sources for the six months ending
Jan. 4, 1896, amounted to $S45, 1923. SO
making total amount available during
II that period of $1,15S, 677.99. The dis
S bursements during the six months wer,
y 81, 12O, 02997, leaving a balance on hant
l. Jan 4, 1896, of only $38,64S.02 in tn,
l. general revenue. The January collec
!, tons amounted to $143, 319.02 Out O
" this the state had to meet its regula
:. monthly pay roll of $4,000 and Their
r was due the various state institution
$3.50, 900. In addition to this there wer
the expenses of the meeting Of the legis
ture and the first payment of salaries +
n the members, amounting to $50, 00O
r which is due Feb. 13. This being tn
of condition of the treasury at the begin
ye ming of the current month, the repor