The Arizona sentinel., 1897-08-21

tii ih"A EouHIy oHu O"8 PoA SSHI
 in MarIcopa county; in all other counties the assessments were
 permitted to remain unchanged.
 The item of cattle had given the
 board more to think about than any other, but the following adjust
 ment was determined upon: Coco.
 nino county, increased Il per cent;
 Yuma, increased 3 per cent; Mari-
 copa, increased 4 per cent; PinaI,
 reduced tl3 per cent; Pima, reduced l63 per cent; Graham, increased IT
 per cent; Cocllise, increased 14a per cent.
 The alterations are made with
 view of raising the total valuation
 of all kinds of property in the Ter
 ritory to $31 100000, sl,500.O00
 more than the aggregate returns
 from the counties.
 On this subject the following
 letter was yesterday received by
 the board from Governor McCord:
 "I desire to call your attention
 to condition that exists in this Territory which concerns every
 taxpayer, great or small. For the
 last few years and am not sure
 but for many years the expenses
 of the Territory have been greater
 than It's income. This has resulted
 in issuing Territorial warrants for
 which there were no funds or ap- propriations. These warrants drew
 interest at the rate of 10 per cent
 per annum, and even bearing this r high rate of interest have been
 known to sell at q discount. To meet the payment of these war rants and maintain the credit of the Territory. bonds bearing 5 per cent interest have been issued and more will have to be issued.
 Any system of taxation that does not furnish sufficient revenue to meet the needs of the govern ment honestly and economically Y
 administered is radically wrong and should be changed. Just what the remedy is 1 am not pre- pared to say. think it is plain, however, that the deficit comes
 principally from an under valua' ton of the property of the Terri 7 tory and the escape of large
 amount of property from taxation , through the carelessness of the assessors or otherwise.
 a "The taxes tor the support ol some of the most important and l expensive institutions are made p continuing by the legislature a which, while no doubt ample al the time they were made, are now , owing to increase If population al g these institations (prison and asy' lump, not sufficient. The expenses O , these institutions for several years have exceeded the appropriations r. and the general fund has had tc p be drawn on. This is where a par of the deficiency comes in.
 "In view of the situation and es' pecially in view Of the fact that the Y legislature will not meet again fol l nearly a year and half, have g taken tho liberty to depart from n the general custom and ask youl }. honorable body to give this matteI
 your most careful attention witf
 view of devising a remedy for tb'
 existing embarrassment.
 | "If you have the power to legally h do SD at your present meeting II general raise on the valuation o = all the property of the Territor! l, of 25 to 50 per cent might provid e a temporary remedy. l am no 7. sure, however, that you have tha Il power, and if you have, 1 am no F sure it would be wise to exercise 1t ,f I only offer it as suggestion. F. "Unless an equal raise upon al }. property can be legally made - raise on none should be made ex cept such as may appear to be just d as you proceed with your regula d duties as board of equalization g Speaking of the deficiency, tn Il governor said: "The Territor, h must run on business principles 2 The end would some time come t = a business enterprise whose ex- ,fl penditures are yearly more thai = it's receipts. It costs now $3O0,Oo' Q annually to run the Territory. It