Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-03-25
poise correspondence.

e No feature OF stale
- directly concerns ever taxpayer ana q
80, ,he average citizen knows SO little
"n inject of revenue. Everybody
,',o,,s TO that taxes are levied and col
TOD but comparatively few know how
..,o,ev is expended. 1t is the pur-
aose of this letter to throw some light on
,,e subject. For the purpose OF main
.a;niug state government the Legislature
,sr;es what is called an advalorem
49,. that is a lump sum to be paid into
ia state treasury by the counties, each
aorutv paving in proportion to its as
...sed valuation. In 1895, the advalorem
..x levied by the legislature was S23T 900
cor aunum. That levy was intended to
rover the expense of the last two years of
.hs Mcconnell, or Republican adj
.;,;stratiou. 1t was not sufficient and
!, consequence there were deficiency
,orrauts amounting to some ST. 900 is
sned. These deficiency warrants, the
legislature of 1897 refused to pay, because
mainly, the Legislators did not like
Governor Mcconnell and the Republi-
can marty. 1t was during the session of
that legislature that such roar was rails
ed against the "vicious" practice of is
miuq deficiency warrants, and an at
tempt was made to enact law making
the issuance of such warrants unlawful.
II seems, though. that Governor Steu-
nenberg prudently presented the enact
ment The next best thing to be done
was to increase the advalorem tax suf-
dciently to cover the excess of expenses
over income and thus avoid the "vicious"
deficiency warrants. OF course this
would not save the taxpayers nickle,
but il would look better for the state adj
miustration. Well the fourth session Of
the legislature which was the first pro-
duct of the union of reform forces, levied
an advalorem tax Of $253,ooo a year, or
$4,000 excess over the levy of the pre-
vious session. Now as the deficiencies
during the last two years of the Republi-
can administration had been only about
$500 year, an increase of the tax levy
by So, 900 year was thought to be am
pie protection against deficits. And had
the affairs of the state been prudently
managed such would no doubt have
been the case. However, extravaganza
and folly seemed to control and not only
was all the increased revenue consumed
but there was shortage, or deficiency,
of $4,000. Fifteen thousand of this
amount, it is claimed was expended in
modifying the volunteers and will be re-
funded by the United States Government.
But as the levy for 1897 and 1898 was
$4,000 in excess of that for 1895 and
1896 there really should have been no
deficiency even to cover these ex-
traordinary expense. But in any event
the damaging fact remains that deficiency
warrants to pay current ordinary ex-
penses of state government were issued
to the amount of $I9,4o4.49 and this ex-
elusive of member of special relief bills.
The legislature just adjourned levied
an adyalorem tax for the ensuing two
years of $245 900 year. Upon its place
this is reduction of 5000 year from
the levy of the previous two years, but
as a matter of fact it is nothing of the kind.
bond issue of $4,000 has been
authorized, the proceeds to be largely ex-
pended III way similar to that in which
considerable portion of the ordinary
revenues has heretofore been consumed.
NOW, we come to another branch
Of the revenue business which is in
structlve as showing how those vast sums
OF money are expended. For this pur-
pose we will take the appropriation bills
Oh the last legislature-the one just adj
journed.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1899 AND 1900.
10 pay expenses of legislature. IS $4,000
Governors unofficial comis'n 1900
expenses mobilizing volunt'rs 1900
repair wooden Geo. Washing
ION ........................... 500
expenses legislator, I'd appr'n 1900
wages text book commission. 1000
relief Alexander Mayhew...... 2o3
Improvements, repairs, etc.,
public buildings (bonds)... $4,000
deficiency warrants. ... Io,4o4
bureau immigration. ....... $500
hsh and game warden. ........ 2,4o
code commission (only about
one half real cost) ............ 1850
COWS salary and Office exp's.. e,2so
treasurers sal. 4 Office 4,7oo
atty general salary and Office
eHpenses........................ 5000
sup't public inst'n, salary and
Office expenses. 7,,,o