The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-10-24

S0VZ9.04.
Additional deficiencies for 1899 and
1900 (P. SO2, Sixth Session Laws SOC
24765. Law % ~
Making total of deficiencies for
which bonds or appropriations vara
made during four years Of Democratic
rule of $40. 941.31. without considerin,
/ some minor appropriations which II
were perhaps fair 10 allow.
! Great stress has been laid upon the
assertion that no general fund war;
rants have been discounted or ONT
standing during the term Governor
Hunt has been in Office This asser-
ton when investigated shows the fol-
! lowing facts: Large amounts of money
have been received by the state be-
longing to other funds and which could
not be charged to the general fund nor
used for the redemption of general
fund warrants. The general fund DUR
ing large part of the time is bankrupt
for the reason that the taxes which
are paid in by the counties are receiv-
ed only during the first six months
of the fiscal year The money usually.
within a short time after it is received.
is paid out for the redemption of war
rants previously issued. To prevent
general fund warrants from falling be-
, low par value the present admins
tratiOn takes money from some other
available fund to cash the general
fund warrants when presented to the
state treasurer for payment or reg
istration. These warrants are then de-
posted in the fund which cashed
them, and are carried as cash in that
fund &c
them in the general fund, when they
are taken up, redeemed and the fund
in which they have been carried is
charged with the amount of their re-
demption together with the accrued in
terest at the rate of per cent per
annum. By this ingenious device the
Democratic state administration Dor
rows money of itself at per cent per
annum for the purpose of paying it's
own debts. The policy of robbing Pc
ter to pay Paul bears its own COM
ment.
Governor Hunts administration is
now carrying about 1925 100000 worth of
its own unredeemed warrants In this
manner and as the general fund must
go unreplenished for at least four
months yet not only this amount but
all other general fund warrants must
be carried unredeemed and bearing in
terest for that time at least.
With levies in the aggregate amount
ing to 81. 10000 and with bonds and
appropriations in aid of the admins
tration and to pay up debts for whose
payment no provision had been made
when they were incurred of nearly
$4,000 in the short time of less than
six years. or, in all, a sum amounting
to 81. $50, 100000 the Democratic gov
eminent of this state finds itself con-
fronted with an overdrawn general
fund account of s125. 100 bearing in
terest as above stated and its DEPART
ment appropriations so far exhausted
as to cause>Serious doubt of their be-
ing sufficient for the remainder Of
the year.
The rate of taxation depends upon
two things, first. the amount which
must be raised, and second. the amount
of taxable property in the state on
which to Plate tax which shall pro-
duce the total amount of the levy.
The assessment roll on which the levy
Is based must by law be that of the
year preceding. In 1896. under Repub-
l1can rule of Governor Mcconnell. the
roll on which the levy was made for
1896 was s29, 1892. 210.3S and the legisla-
ture had placed the gross ad valorem
levy at 1921, 10000 which necessitated
a tax of 79 cents per 800 valuation.
The roll on which the levy was made
In 1902 under Governor Hunt was s51.-
44O.753.l9 and his legislature gave him
s245, 10000 to spend for that year. ne
cessltating tax of about As cents
on the 500 valuation; the proportional
rate was substantially the same In
each case, for had the total valuation
oeen the same under Governor Hunt
as that under Governor Mcconnell. the
same rate of 79 cents would have been
necessary to raise the same amount
of 1921, 100000 and had the legislature
made the gross levy 1921, 90 instead
d sz4oO OO.OO on the total valuations of
'51, $40 1878, then a tax of less than
10 cents would have been necessary.
put under the present Democratic adj
of Governor Hunt the
people are paying $14.00O.OO per year
more than under the last Republican
and are as a matter Of
act required to pay a state tax of
bout cents more on the 800 than
hey did under Republican rule
Governor Hunt has been fortunate in
lavlng a legislature subservient to his
VII and DESTROYS of making the paths
asy through the financial wilderness
non which he entered at the begin
ing OF his term and in which he Is
nl involved. for they maid I'D the
Id deficiencies of the former Demo-
ratio administrations by bonding the
tate and making appropriations for
lS5'ooOOO so that he should have moth
lg TO do except spend the s49O. 10000
hlch they allowed him for his term,
Ut ne is unfortunate in being unable
resist the impulses of extravagance
men he is given $2S,0OO.OO more than
lie last Republican governor and is
'rced to increase taxation cents up
800 has. four months before his
I'm expires, s125,0OO of overdrawn
eneral fund warrants bearing 7 per
mt interest which he cannot redeem,
Id also finds that in all probability
cannot carry on the public institu-
ons Tor the remainder of his term
I'm what remains in the appropria-
'h- Inc economy Of the Democratic
lNernTnRnf nj,