The copper era and Morenci leader., 1912-08-16
NEARLY TWO MIL | h N
 DOLLARS
 NEEDED
Auditor Callahan Makes Els timate of Cost Running
 State for Year
SCHOOLS NEED HALF MILLION
Tax Rate Will. Re But Little, If Any,
 Higher Than Formerly.

Tax Rate WIT 'Ss rsMt Eittie, IT AhJ,
 Higher Than Formerly.
 Revenue to the amount of $1,900, ,00Q must be raised by the state of Ari- zona this year from the tax valuation of the state in order to meet the ex- penses of the state of Arizona as out lined by the appropriation bills passed by the recent sessions of the legis- lature, according to State Auditor J.. c. Callaghan This will, it is thought, be done with a much higher tax rate in the aggregate than was had last year by the retiring republican ad- ministration. Tbe state tax proper will be higher than last year, but this will be offset by tue lower county tax es, SO that the estimate is made that taxes will not be very much in ex- cess of the former amount.
 One of the factors that goes into the tax rate this year, and which is the actual cause of one-half of the rate, was the passage of three bills carrying extraordinary appropriations. The largest of these is the school bill with it's appropriation of $500,000, an other the road tax bill with an appro-. the deficiency appropriations which amount to some $2O0,OOO more In all a total amount of $950,0O0, about half the amount needed for the support of the state government, is therefore to be placed to the credit of these three propositions named.
 There are still two other proposi- tions to be looked at in connection with the large amount to be raised, and these are that there had never before been appropriated for the use of the schools of the territory more than $50,000, and last year the schools received from the territory $29,000 This year, in order that the schools should be held for regular periods all over the state and in order that the teachers should be paid good sal aries, and to take care of the free text book proposition, and to give state aid to counties too poor to pay all that is required of them in the education of the youth of the state, the appropriation was made S50O,OO0 The other proposition is that in their great desire to keep low tax rate the territorial board of equalization last year made a rate of 65 cents on the S1OO, which was not sufficient by Suearly $3OO,O0O to meet the expenses kof the state. A deficit was created both in the general fund and the road fund.
 It was suggested also during some what long talk with MT. Callaghan, when the whole matter was thorough 1y discussed, that last year special tax of 25 cents per $10O was raised in the counties by the counties them- selves for the purpose of good roads. This tax is not assessed this year, but instead the state appropriation of $250,000 is provided, which will be adequately proportioned throughout the state for the building and main tenance of good roads. This appro priation will also take care of the de- felt left by the last administration in the road fund.
 In the formation of the state gov ernment the state assumed burdens | which the territory did not have to pay for in the way of salaries of the | officers of the state. There has, | therefore, been added to the burden of the taxpayers since Arizona became a state the cost of the governor, the | secretary to the governor and the sec retary of state, the supreme court, the districts courts,a larger legislature composed of more members and draw ing larger salaries. In addition to this there are fourteen superior courts in the state where before there were five districts presided over by the same judges who acted in the capacity of supreme court also. Half the cost of these superior courts is assessed against the state and half against the l