The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-25
STATE TREASURY EMPTY
AND TAX LIMIT REACHED
Lavish Expenditures Authorized by Last LegSIa-
ture Result in Serious Financial Condition.
Poor Judgment of Legislators and Needless Appropriations
Limit of Borrowing Capacity in Sight For State.
I TAI. under a benefcent Repub

II TAH. under benefcent Republican
administration, is about broke.
The finances Of the state are in
condition that renders imperative the
negotiation of a loan sometime this
month 10 keep the wolf out. About
$4,000 remains I'm the general fund, out
OF which the running expenses Of the
state must be paid. and this amount
will be exhausted before moving day.
state Auditor Tingey has suggested TO
the board Of loan commissioners that
$4,000 be borrowed and made available
by May l and expresses the opinion
that before the summer is over the
borrowing limit of 100000 will be
reached.
These loans are i'm anticipation of
the tax payments which will begin TO
come in next October. The loans. un-
der the law. must all be repaid by Jan.
J. 1905, and the states revenues for the
next year will be diminished by the
amount of the loan. The loan this year
will exceed by $40. 600 that of last year.
Last year it was $4,000. This had to
be repaid last December. with the result
that the state is on the financial rocks
early this year.
Legislature Was Wasteful.
The last legislature. besides eIecting
Senator Smoot, gave away that which
II had not. In addition TO making Law
lsh appropriations. il increased the sal
aries Of judges and state officers and
the results of its labors are now be-
coming apparent. The legislature did
not have the power to increase the tax
levy and the increase i'm property valu-
alton has not been found sufficient to
Keep up with the expenditure provided
FOR.
The total revenue for general pur-
poses this year is about $780, 600. OF
this S250.OOO was appropriated to new
buildings for state institutions and most
Of il has been drawn. For the redemp-
lion OF the bonds maturing in 1872 SIS
600 has been set aside for two years
past. This $4,000 is lying idle in the
treasury and. Of course. cannot be used
for general purposes. Salaries for the
year amount TO about 800. 600. this item
having been increased materially by
the late Legislature. the judicial payroll
Of the state alone having been increased
by $4,000 annually. The legislature
also created a fourth judge for the
Third judicial district adding "a 000
more TO the payroll. and miscellaneous
claims completed the work of wipinS
the general fund out Of existence.
War Expenses Not Included.
mis- does not include the cost of
keeping the national guard in Carbon
county last winter An effort viii be
made to shift this onto the legislature.
At the time the troops were ordered out
the national guard fund had about SILL
Geo in IL. This was all spent and about
$4,000 more with il To pay Off the men
and settle for their supplies The gov
crnUr negotiated q loan Of S25. 600 10 pay
of these claims and restore the 81 .OOC
10 the national guard fund 10 keer
the guard alive. If the legislature re-
fuses 10 appropriate the money to pay
this loan the general fund will have
this additional $25 900 to pay.
Will Tax to Limit
The tax limit of five mills for general
purposes was reached last year and