The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-03-13
COUNTY FINANCES.

rrhare is n deeper significance per
,hon the mere desire to pass upor
tho County bill first, back OF the sen
ote,s declination to attempt TO cohs'u.'
appropriations until the political SUP
divisions of the Territory have been IN
cd. and the powers and Responsiveness
of the counties placed.
II has been practically decided tnh'
there shall be two Appropriation pil"e'
one covering the salaries ana expenses
until December 81, Of this year ana .,'e
other having in it the provisions lor .'ie
rest Of the biennial term. The questioi'
however, is what division shall De i'aue
.ho ;,,,nrovements to be authoriz-
cd under the appropriation piii' ne
fact that there is to be in such shorl
time. responsibility of counties, MAKES
n all the more impossible for the car
rving out of the plans for general I'M
proyements which have been proush'
forward by the representatives from
the outer districts.
The superficial view, using the worn
without intention TO cast any reflectloh
upon the intent of the originator rs
that which was proposed In the House
recently, that there be set aside py
the Legislature from the loan Dill
81 900 900 for each county, 1t Is presurh-
ed. as a capital to start in life. rms
looks well on paper, 1t might be that IL
would work out well for the counties
assuredly it would be case OF md
.any money for the islands other than
oahu.
n, the basis of the taxpaying capacl-
~ Of THE various counties as made up
for consideration by the Finance COM
r,ittee the resources of the various
counties were clearly set forth in re-
cont issue of the Advertiser. Putting
the figures into round numbers the
taxes Of the whole Territory, on the
hasis of last year are paid as follows;
oahu. 80: Kauai 9; Maui. IL; East Ha-
wall Is: West Hawaii, 6, 1t Will be
then on this basis that the islands VIII
contribute to the Territorial treasury
and from this general fund must come
the interest and the sinking fund Tor
tho w,ning out of the bonded debt.
II would be only fair then that the
counties should have proportion OF
tho hands in the direct ratio as they
must nay back the money borrowed on
the credit of the Territory. If this is
done of the S. 100000 of bonds, oahu
would receive, 81, $50 900; Kauai, $780,
600: Maui, s55OOO0 East Hawaii, S'5o,-
600: West Hawaii, 100000. The inter-
est charge would have to be paid as
follows: STAT 800 Oahu; $4,000, Kauai;
ss7. 500. Maui: sS7 500, East Hawaii; sl5,-
900. West Hawaii. In other words the
County of Oahu would pay 14& per cent
as interest on its million. while the
other counties would pay; Kauai "a
per cent; Maui, 2& per cent; East Ha-
wall, S& per cent, and West HAWAII
IL per cent
If this is the proportion OF the pay
ment for improvements, there of course
should be the same proportion III eN-
penditure, and as some of the members
are inbued with the justice OF the
claim. there win be all the more nara
work in getting together an appropria-
ton bill There will have to be passed
TO the credit of the counties some sum
on which to begin housekeeping. IL
must be borne in mind that there VIII
be less than the full years taxes from
which TO meet all the demands upon
the Territorial treasury, and out OF
these many factors must there be
drawn the sum of the fiscal arrange
mente. The problem is knotty one
and will try the temper as well as the
ability of the Legislature.