The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-04
Veto Saved
Over
Four Million.

limit to provide for proper past
claims, to place the State on a cash basis
and to prevent the constant exhaustion
of the general fund.
While the veto Of items may or may
not have been included in the tax levy
Dill, still each appropriation, and each
item-had it been allowed-would finally
nave become claim against the treasury
and been paid by a tax upon the people.
,oa Ihe Vetoes for the sessions of 1895 and
1897, inclusive, amounted to $4,421 PIG 70, of
winch four millions is a saving to the
people.
Yet when we consider the Iiberality with
which appropriations have been allowed
during this administration-the debris
fund, $3.50 ,000i improvements of our chan
nelS and rivers, $500 900; the establishment
OF a normal school at San Diego, addi-
uonal buildings elsewhere, q university
tax OF 2 cents in place of l, and an in
crease OF revenue sufficient to place the
state on cash basis and pay off the
Gi gene t9n and debts of previous admin
veto power was too severely used, al
though the amounts exceeded the com
bined vetoes of all other Governors of the
State of California.
This saving of over four millions of dol
lars by vetoes in two sessions, or, an
amount sufficient to conduct the ordi-
nary expenses OF the State, other than
schools, for one full year, is a matter Of
no little satisfaction to myself, and of ma
State.
At the close of each session Of the I,eg-
islature, and usually upon the last daV
1t passes what is known as the tax lew
Dill Ihis bill provides that the Board Of
EQUALIZATION shall raise: For the general
Iuhd a certain amount named; for the in.
terest ana sinking fund certain amount
named; for the school fund a certain
amount named, It further provides that
per cent shall be allowed for defaults
ne theory or our government is that the
tax levy shall raise a sufficient amount
10 pay the ordinary expenses of the gov
t ana the appropriations made by
the Legislature. ~
Appropriation bills do not USUALLY nro-
wac Tor raising the amount authenticated
but they direct that such sums shall he
paId from any moneys lin the general
iund not otherwise appropriated. Usual
ly appropriations have been larc.~,,- in eX-
cess, cess or the amount of the tax levy law
ms is a vicious practice. 1t REQUIRES the
governor to either use the veto power lib
eraiIy, or allow of appropriations that will
quIchly EXHAUST aVahaule moneys in the
treasury. TO stop such conditions and 70
lessen the burdens of the taxnayers We
toed upward of &,421, ZIG 70.
And l also by special message of March
~, 1877, demanded a reduction of the tav
IeNy DliI, stating that unless reduced n
, wouIu De vetoed by me, and in this man
heT saved nearly one million of dollars.
w hen the tax levy bill is pending the
legislature and the Executive Calculate q
tax levy. of so many cents upon the hnn+
ufed uollars, assuming that the valuation
ol property IN growing State will NOT
IdiI; Inc tax rate, however Is a matter
with which the Legislature has little to
w. 40, altjhough high rate is always
The tax rate is fixed by the board nf
EQUALIZATION, and fixed largely In an arhi-
trary manner. 81 W