The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-02

100000 in Past Two Years-Wild L and
Tax Difficult of Collection.
| Augusta, February 1.-The State treas
urer makes the following annual report:
To the Honorable Governor and Execu.
| tive Council:
| Gentlemen-In obedience to the laws Of
| the state, l have the honor to submit the
| annual report OF the financial transac.
tions of this department, rs shown by
the records in the office, fer the fiscal
year ending December 81, 1896.
The total amount of receipts in this
office for the year 1896 were 81, b76, 1852. IA,
and the amount of disbursements for all
purposes were II, 6o3, 1926, which shows
an exoesn Of expenditures over receipts
for the year of $50, 74O. H.
| The receipts for the year 1895, as shown
by my last report. were Sl,53s, 100. 10,
and the disbursements were 81, FOL, $685.
80; the expenditures exceeding the re-
oeipts for said year to the amount Of
$l67, 955. l5.
Therefore the business Of the treasury
for the past two years, shows an excess
of payments over receipts of 1854, 6S5.27
| The fiscal year closes with cash bai-
ance Oh hand of $203, ZOO IS.
| The rate of taxation for the year 1895
was two and one-fourth mills on the
dollar, yielding total revenue from this
source of S713, 941.70. Owing TO the re-
duction in 1895, from the previous year.
of one fou tn Of mill IN the rate OF tax
alton the amount of state tax assessed
was sS1, $1,000 less in 1896 than the
ann cunt assessed in 1895. Had the rate
been maintained at two and three-fouIths
mills on the dollar as assessed for 1888
and for several years previous the amount
| of atate tax assessed for the three past
years would have been 1922, sol. "a more
| than the amount assessed under the re-
| duced rates for those years.
| The tax assessed against the cities and
towns for the year 1885 has besn paid In
full.
| When I assumed charge of the state
| treasury on the first day of February,
1895, the bonded Indebtedness OF the state
| was 81, 403, COO and ut the present time
it is S.. 800, 600 W hich shows reduction
iu thu past two years of 500, QUO. OF this
sum, $50 600 were paid in the year 1895,
and q like amount in 1896.
There was also paid during the past
| two years, as interest on the bonded debt,
the sum of$1 AZ, $50 of which SIS, $40 were
paid in 1S95a, and $7S, $40 were paid in
1895.
The aggregate sum, therefore, paid
during the years 1885, as interest and
toward the liquidation of the bonded
Indebtedness, il S249, $50.
For several years past there has been
uotif cable an inclination on the part Of
owners of small tracts of land in un-
Incorporated places. mostly settlers, to
neglect or avoid the payment OF state ana
county taxes.
This Is rendered somewhat easy in
many cases by the lack Of efficient laws
bearing on the subject, and the d1thcu !
ty in enforcing the penalties already pro-
vided.
The legislature of 1895 passed law au-
thorizing the county com mm issioners 10
appoint d collector for each of certain
plantations. to collect such state and
county taxes and pay them over TO the
county treasurer, TO be transmitted to
the treasurer of the state.
A full compliance with this law would
no doubt result in the accomplishment
Of its purpose as successfully rs in tho
case of tiles and towns.
But although an energetic enforcement
of the law above mentioned would result
in the collection of taxes assessed since
the collection of arrears, which in some
cases, extend over period of several
years.
In 1887 tax was imposed on the right
to cut timber and grass on the public
lots.
believe it to lie for the best interests
of the state to recommend such action
by the present legislature, as will relieve
the state treasurers books Of these small
but increasing delinquenies, and pro
vide for the prompt payment OF future
assessments.
Respectfully submitted,
F. M. SIMPSON, State Treasurer.