The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-01-02
STATE MONEY FOR
A.-Y. P. EXPOSITION
HOW the FUNDS MAY Be VOTED
Warrants Could BE Drawn Upon
Fund Created BY Special Levy
In Succeeding Years.

| OLYMPIA, Dec. 2s.-Attorney
General Atkinson suggests three
plans for state aid for the Alaska
Pacific-Yukon exposition in an opin-
ion rendered Representative Albert
y. Beebe of Seattle.
| Representative Beebe stated that
| the King county delegation Is to ask
for an appropriation for the exposi-
| ton, which will probably be too
large to secure from the general
| fund by levy for one year, and the
| question is how to make such appr3-
priation Immediately available. 1t
had been suggested that special
fund be created by special levy
during the next two or three years
The attorney general states that sec
| ton /, article 8, of the state consti-
tuition, provides that the state may
| to meet casual deficits or failures in
revenues, or for expenses not pro-
vided for, contract debts; but such
debts, direct and contingent, singly
| or in the aggregate, shall not at any
time exceed 100000, and the mon
| ey arising from the loans creating
such debts, shall be applied to the
purpose for which they were obtain
ed or to repay the debts so contract.
ed, and to no other purpose whatso-
ever.
The supreme court in decision
given in the case of Rauch VS.
Chapman. has announced the doc
| trine that the constitutional limita-
ton of county Indebtedness does not
include those necessary expenditures
| made mandatory by the constitution
and provided for by the legislature
| of the state. and imposed upon the
| county, and the same rule would
be presumed to apply to the state
Indebtedness. There is serious
question, says the attorney general,
as to whether the court would CON
slider that an appropriation for the
| Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition
came within the meaning of "neces-
sary expenditures
However, section provides that
whenever the expenses of any fiscal
year shall exceed the income, the
legislature may provide for levying
tax for the ensuing fiscal year
which may be construed year or
years. sufficient with other sources
OF income, to pay the deficiency, as
well as the estimated expenses of the
ensuing fiscal year or years. The SUI
preme court of the state, in Barton
VS.. Hopkins, held that when a levy
mas been made, or provided by law
to be made, thai may be considered
an asset in considering the constitu
tional limit of indebtedness.
Therefore, the attorney general is
OF the opinion that the legislature
may pass an act making an appro-
priation for the exposition, making
a special levy, providing thebmanner
ana means as to what board or Of
ficers shall supervise the matter.
ana how and when such tax shall be
collected and disbursed and as to
now many years said tax shall be
levied and collected, and the appor-
tlonment of the same. Or the legis-
lature might pass an act making 4
special levy for one or more years
to cover the amount appropriated
for the exposition, to be paid into
the general fund, directing whether
such tax shall be levied and col
lected in the manner of regular
taxes or otherwise.
Another method would be for the
legislature to pass an act making a
suitable appropriation for the en-
position to be paid out of the gen
eral fund, not making a special levy
for the purpose, but making it man.
datory upon the state tax commits
sion OF state board of equalization
to set certain sufficient extra levy
at its future sessions to cover such
appropriation
The attorney general also is of
the opinion that if an appropriation
is made in any of the ways suggest
ed, warrants could be drawn imme-
diately upon the fund; and if at any
time there was not money in the
treasury to pay them, they would
draw interest at the statutory rate
until paid
In conclusion, Mr.. Atkinson says.
Permit me to say, personally. that
| think the state as a whole should
be patriotic and be enthusiastic on
the matter of the Alaska-Yukon-P Pa
cific exposition. The people of all
parts of the state should be willing
to assume small temporary bur
den. 1t will be for every nook and
corner of this state, from the presen.
time, until many years after the ex-
position is over. good investment.
1t will pay Tacoma, Everett, Bel
lingham and Vancouver, North
Yakima, Wenatchee. Spokane and
Walla Walla, and every other town
in the state, large or small, as well
as Seattle. 1t alone will be the
means of bringing to the state hun
dreds of thousands of people and
millions of dollars for investment,
and will add great value to each