The Hattiesburg news., 1910-09-30
noel MAY CALL
EXTRA SESSION
Thought That Revenues Of the State
Would Not be Sufficient to Meet
Current Expenses.

governor call an extra session of the
egislature7
That Is q question state house Off
,ers are asking these days, and one,
t seems, which will eventually be an
swered in the affirmative.
The belief hinges upon the fact that
the state needs money, and the pres
ent tax levy Of six mills will not bring
in anything like sufficient revenues
to meet the obligations of the state.
The treasury is practically empty.
There is probably $4,000 on hand, but
the state must, not later than Jan
uary 1, 1911, pay out two-thirds OF
the eial school fund, amounting
to nearly 81 900 900, while the pension
fund is due November l, which
amounts to 100000, and the question
is where will the state get the money?
The governor has been relying on
the 100000 of state bonds to relieve
the situation, but this would not be /
more tQan ndlI euOu6h W hSSS N--
demands of the public schools and
pensioners, while there would be moth
ing left for other state institutions.
This is the situation the governor
must meet, and many think there is no
way of meeting this except to call an
extra session of the legislature to
raise the tax levy to seven mills.
This state of affairs has been
brought about by the wholesale reduc-
ton of personal values in many coun-
ties Of the state. The state would
not have received sufficient revenue,
basing it's income on that of last year,
to meet its financial obligations, but
with nearly 100000 cut off for next
year, it is difficult to see how the
state can meet this deficit, except by
calling the legislature together to in
crease this levy
This will be hard on some counties
where the values show a healthy in
crease. For instance, in Kinds, Har
rison, Lefiore and others, but the as
SCISSORS of each county have made
such tremendous reductions in some
: instances that something will be nee
= essary to meet the situation. Jus'
. what action the governor will take
il any, is known only to himself, bu
d unless funds are Forthcoming from
il some source, the states educationa
o and elemosenary institutions will sui
l. fer. as we'll as the public schools.
{ The total appropriations for tn
e next two years amount to $7,721, ,4S7.3C
u while the total revenue, basing tn
1t receipts on those of last year, woul'
" be s6,6O7, ,a27 80, leaving a deficit o
s1,113,51O staring the state in the face
u Then, too, the loss in personal value
10 will be considerable, but just ho'
10 much cannot be ascertained at thi
y time, which will run the total dehcl
up to even larger figures.
. OF the total appropriations OF ~
N 721 ,437.3o, the public schools and co
leges of the state receive $4,56S,649.o
70 including the farmers institute exp
~ riment stations, state normals, etc
leaving only s3,152,7s7.23 for all othe
~ nurnoses. This amount of money
u supposed to be derived from taxation
~ but where the assessors and supervl
- ors are constantly reducing value
there is but little chance or the sta'
getting the money required.
In making the assessment, the
= SCISSOR learns first how much mont
>" it will take to run the county COVER
ment and makes the assessment d
cordingly. regardless of the stat
Lands that are worth from S25 to 81
~. an acre are assessed at from 50 to
-, an acre. and it is such work as I'd
that brings the state face to face WI
situation that almost demands
~ extra session of the legislature.
Even that will not relieve the stu
,,o tion next year, and the only alterr
:. tive will be for the state to float bono
=. and at a higher rate of interest tn
that fixed for the present issue
100000.
Unless this is done the employ
IN. of the state will not be able to dr'
he their pay. This will apply to eve
the one in the employe of any state in'
,ee tuition, and will hit some OF th'
all rather hard, as they are not IN pc
tion to negotiate their salary with
st,. banks, as the officers of the state G.
all the time, giving their wonder
DISPLAYS of flights, etc.~and once es