The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1905-01-12
ideals of civic duty. But the time may

not be altogether propitioug for the
Inauguration and development of these
plans Their conBnmmalion must de-
pend upon the ability Of the State TO
provide The necessary financial support,
and am not prepared to say thai the
exigeHey Is 50 urgent That the State
should Immediately respond
While, therefore. it is 10 be assumed
thai you viii examine the reports 81
the Departments ard Institutions and
consistently provide for their needs and
efficiency. gel so lar a. any unusual
expenditure IS concerned. either for
those now ia existence or for those d
contemplation ! have preferred 10 20
frain from making specific recon
mendations. but urge instead that ms
" hole question be lett for }ogr con-
sidorali0n. and that your decision BE-
made after you have heard cdeh Ease
discussed upon its merits in accord
ance With the usual routine Of le2I-la-
ton There Is no end to the demands
made upon Tie State treasury but there
is an end to the ability OF HE treasury
10 meet those demands without inpOs-
ing excessive burdens upon the tax
payers am fully aware hat in many
cases invoking public expenditure. the
State cannot afford To be- uuduls eco
nomieaI There are too many pressing
needs for that, and such a course would
be too narrow and contrary To the splr-
il of progress and humanity But there
is a middle ground Of true economy
not readily found nor easy to stand
upon. but one which after all should
be he goal and abiding place OF imam
cia legislation believe that The peo-
pie Of the state VIII not tolerate law
ish expenditure al public funds. and
believe as fully that even our present
splendid financial showing furnishes no
sound reason TO Justify an expenditure
OF such character
II AUTHORIZATIONS are excessive new
sources Of revenue must be found or a
debt incurred If the energies OF a leg
islanre or Of tax assessors are TO be
directed constantly toward seeking new
sources of revenue Tor the purpose OF
keeping pace with extrayagant appro-
priatfons. grave injustice may be
done TO property owners. The equal
izatian Of values for taxation is second
in Importance only to the revenue it
self. and under the circumstances just
NAMED the tendency will be to lose
sight of the principle of equalization
and 10 increase the taxes upon classes
of property peculiarly open to attack.
1t is true that the present State tax OF
two and three-quarters mills is neither
large nor bnrdensome But it is equal
ly trne that if it can be reduced con
sistently, such reduction should be Of
fectel One argument against reduc-
ton of the State tax seems to be that
at some future time it might be nee
essarY to restore the old rate or even
increase it. and that the attempt to do
this would prove to be embarrassing
to political party or TO an adminlstra-
ton But this is more an excuse than
a reason 1t is to be assumed that II
a reduction is made, it is because il is
right and necessary to make it, and
the same as to an increase. In either
case. the legislature would give the
matter most careful consideration
and the people of the State would
surely have full knowledge of the
facts and motives governing leg
islatiye action, and would render thel
Judgment accordingly. The question
of changing the tax rate is purely a
business
ton upon existing conditions, and II
we are agreed upon this proposition It
Is simply a truism to say that the au-
thority TO effect the change is in your
hands and yours alone am Of the
opinion that the revenues OF the state
have grown to that point where II
prudence is observed, and yet not
parsmony. you can safely reduce the
present tax rate and at the same time
cause no unjust or unreasonable les
! SEEMING of public efficiency | believe
! too. that such action on your part
would meet with the prompt, cordial
and very general appreciation OF the
people Of the State.
recommend, therefore that the
! State tax be reduced from two and
/ three-quarters mills to two and one
/ quarter mills. The following figures
! are presented by the Treasurer OF
/ he State They are presented in
/ this brief and concise form to show
] the essential features Of the financial
j condition of The State,-a most graf
flying result of the financial policy
pursued by the last administration
/ and to indicate as well. the economic
REASONS
] ommendation for reduced tax rate.
! Cash balance on hand January lst
J 1905. S244.S3991. bonded debt Ianu
airy lst 1905, 81 ,403, 10000 and in
/ this place. it should be stated that
during the last two years. the bonded
indebtedness has been reduced $3.50
| 10000. While. since 1889 and prior to
| 1902, $50. 900 OF the State bonds have
| matured each year yet, under the pro
visions Of Act of 1903 authority was
/ given to the Treasurer with the ad
/ vice and consent of the Governor and
! Council, to purchase additional bonds
/ II such a course was deemed adYis
| able. and all bond purchases during
/ the past two years in excess of the
$40 900 maturing annually for the past
three years, have been made under
| this Act.
The last State valuation upon which
/ the take rate of two and three-Quarters
mills was assessed was 1852. POS, S97.
/ 90, and yielded for two years a rev
enue of $1,94095l.54. The present or
new State valuation is 1856. 14,01400,
showing gain in valuation OF
| $l4,285.1l700.
A tax rate Of two and one-quarter
mills on this new valuation viii yield
for Two years a revenue of $l,G53-
D91.36
The total receipts for the years 1903
and 1904. including $226.lNG.94. tho
amount received from the United
! States Government, were 1885. 359.3o.
The total expenditures for the years
1903 and lea1 were $5.o52.ll2U7.
The n.lImatnL regnlar rannLnLs TOR