The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-06-14
Tie Revenue Question.

The revenue question is just now
occupying the attention of the mem /
bers of the Legislature, and the large |
deficit staring them i'm the face is
causing no end of trouble Recently |
the Legislature passed a concurrent
resolution requesting the Governor to
inform its members whether "a deficit
will exist at the close of the present
fiscal year, and, if so, what subjects
of taxation he would recommend for
the purpose of raising the necessary
revenue to meet it.
To the first query he practically in
formed the body that last January ne
stated there would be deficit and
that the appropriations this year
should be reduced below the amount
appropriated by the last Legislature,
to keep within the estimated receipts,
unless some means could be devised
TO increase the revenue. He plainly
informed the Solons that it was none
of his business to enlighten the Legis-
lature regarding possible new sources
of revenue Existing conditions,
he says, should admonish us to ex-
ercise the strictest economy in all
matters and in every direction. The
enormous expense incurred by investi-
eating committees, some of them
perhaps of doubtful necessity, and
the liberality with which the public
funds have heretofore been used in
contested election cases have very
properly arrested public attention,
and I earnestly urge upon your honor
able bodies the curtailment of eX-
penses of this character
The situation that confronts Penn
sylyania to-day is that the desirable f.
expenditures are far in excess Of the |
revenue Either the revenue must .
be increased or the expenses de
creased. The decision of Judge
Hanna that the direct inheritance tax
laid by the Legislature is unconstitu-
tional makes the financial situation
more complex than ever If sus- .
tained, the decision will deprive the |
HltAlt VI F0l sDODs OObs = AlAAtI AlltHt tll- ]
cumstances it is unfortunate that
there does not exist a better feeling |
between the Chief Executive and the |
state lawmakers. This is no time
for factional differences.
Many methods for raising more
revenue have been under considera-
tion for some time, without any
agreement between the leaders of the
Senate and the House A conference
was held on Saturday, at Philadel-
phia, between Senators Quay and
Penrose and the state leaders on the
legislative situation, and especially
that phase dealing with state revenue.
The question of extending the session
until the end of July was also con
sidered
1t is given out that the conference
agreed upon cutting down the school
appropriation and permitting the
state to take all the revenue derived
from liquor licenses and not returning
any of it to the cities, boroughs and
townships or counties This, it was
thought, would solve the problem of
sufficient revenue.
To cut down the school appropria-
tions would entail hardship upon
the country districts, some of which
are already overburdeued with heavy
taxation With a decreased appro-
priation Shenandoah's school district
would suffer with the rest The state
now appropriates $5,OOOOOO annually
to the public schools, and it is sug
gested that this be reduced to
SO, 500, 600. The members of the Leg
islature should ponder well before
taking such action. The people of
Pennsylvania take great pride in
their public schools and anything
tending to cripple them will meet
with a vigorous protest.
To retain the revenue that is
derived from liquor licenses would
also be most disastrous to the country
districts, and none would feel the
effects more than our own borough.
Shenandoah would find itself in the
same financial muddle as the state is
now in The present liquor license
law gives to Shenandoah the entire
amount collected for retail licenses,
excepting a very small percentage
Ie aimed by the county. The bcr-l