Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-01-15
The CoiaptrOller's Report

The Comptroller of the Treasury has
submitted to the Governor his annual
report of the financial affairs Of tue State
for the fiscal year ending September 30tb,
1896 Considering the hard times and tue
scarcity of money the report makes a
fair showing The :otal sum of money
in the Treasury lass ibe receipts from
the sale Of bonds for the annex to the
Pcnitentisry snd the new Insane Asy-
lum, show falling of as compared
with the previous year Of sos, 1872 10.
which the Comptroller attributes to the
decline in real estate values, aud adds
that as 1.-THE revenue gathered by collec-
tors is largely borne BY real estate.
these figures become instructive as
showing how severely this class of prop
orty has felt the burden Of taxation
The items concerning the free school
fund and the State tobacco warehouses
are of more direct interest to our people
than the others and will be read with
interest. The receipts as shown by tde
report for the free school fund during
the fiscal year we're S7O,055 SO. This
sum added, says the Com otroler, to
the balance offs 600 on baud September
30, 1895, makes an aggregate of S72,-
O55 IS. This SUN, in comparison with
that OF last year, shows shrinkage Of
81 ,oSS 10. which is accounted for Fart
ly in the loss Of increment to the com
mon freescbool fund by the failure Of
the B. & 0. R. R. Co., to pay the last
somi-annnal 3 per cent. dividend on
Its preferred 6 per cent. stock held by
the State for the benefit of this fund.
amounting to SllS, 100. ami the further
fact that during the year 1885 there
was distributed balance brought down
from the previous year Of SO. S43 so, in
addition to the regular increment accru-
ing to the said fund The sun disburs-
ed to the counties and city of Baltimore
during the fiscal yearjust closed amount
ed to $40, 1855 Sc, leaving balance on
hand of $4,000"
The amount Of the levy for the pub
lie schools aggregated 1857 1919.
and the receipts amounted to 1913.
76S 81 showing a deficit in collections
of S34.s60 SO. The Comptroller az
regards free sehool-books says, "thc
amount of levy of 2 cents on each S1OO
for free school books aggregated S10S,-
O92 81. If every cent Of this sum had
been collected and added to the amount,
received from tax on incorporated insti.
tusions and Baltimore city stock. vet i
would have been S29, $50 05 short 0
the $3.50, 900 appropriation. When i
is remembered that large percentae,
from every levy must be allowed b,
abatemonts from insolvencies, CHROME
Gus assessments, etc, it will readily n
seen that the tax as now levied for thi
purpose will never be sufficient TO equa
2 the be appropriation. The receipts dur
70 Is.vin, 's9qnted to only sos, 629,
as a net payment froGi' poo'''V q
property, which must neesssaril ? %
creased from year to year as the statut
now stands
The above sum of $3.50 coo wa
apportioned BY men in strict oonformit
with tue laws applicable to the same
Sec. 3 of chapter 1876 Of 1896 recites
THAT the whole Of said sum shall b
aPPor'ioned BY the Comptroller in tn
month of July Of each and every yea
as the State school tao Is aou aDoo,
toned " This was done to the fra ,tio
of a mill The State school tax has bee
apportioned by this department but on
way for the ras: twenty four years. o
since the passage of the Act Of 1872
chapter 377, IN the CORE otness of whiel
there can be no legal doubt. I obeye,
the law and apportioned the above sun
"as the State school IaS is now appor
toned" If there be any inequalitie
in the law, the Legislature is alone re.
spouable and alone has the power t.
correct them"
The returns fron the State tobacco
warehouses are satisfactory and shows
good management on the part Of the
inspectors. Evidently economy has
been practiced- The receipts from that
source into the Treasury foot up S7O.-
so 50; the disbursements 500, 625 81.
leaving a balance as net earnings of
81 200 29-.he sum Of ST. 623 70 more
than was paid into the Treasury last
year