The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-02-27
AS TO COUNTY FINANCES.
New Law Enacted-Accounts Separat-
ed-Not Sufficient Money to Run
on Cash Basis.


' the following bill from Columbia, pre-
sumably sent by Hon. G. T. Wyche. 1t
is meant to require the county board
Of commissioners to keep a separate
account with each fund, which is the
proper thing to do. We suppose IN the
supply bill, which We have not seen,
that the appropriation is made sep
arate for each fund. The only CUES
tion, it seems to us, that Will be puz-
zling to settle in keeping the account
IN this way is the fact that the legls-
lature has not provided a sufficient
lew TO meet the expenses Of the coun~
ty. and if not it will be impossible for
the county board to obey the require
1nents of this law unless the entire
machinery of the county is stopped.
In fact, the whole county has been
running on the credit basis for several
months, and we understand that the
legislature authorized the county COM
1nissioners to borrow $4,000. All of
the money from the present collection
of taxes will be required to pay the
money borrowed a year ago. Now, II
it costs some $4,000 to operate the
county, it is a. little difficult to figure
out how the commissioners can keep
from making contracts beyond the ap-
preparation when it is some $4,000
less than the cost of operating the
county government
Probably in the supply bill an apprc-
priation is made, which is in excess
of the amount which will be raised by
the tax which is levied. In other
words, we understand that the tax
Levy for ordinary county purposes is
three and one-half mills, which, on
the basis of seven million property,
will raise not quite $4,000. There is
a one mill tax, we believe, for roads,
which will give about $1,000, making
a total of $4,000. At any rate, we
know that the county has not been pay
ing salaries or any other expenses for
several months. In fact the county
officers have to discount their salaries,
and advance their own money for pos
tage and other things necessary to the
conduct of their Office, or discount the
bills.
It seems to us that it is poor busl-
ness judgment for the county to be
operated on any such basis, and the
legislature should have made some
provision to 4ake up the past indebted
ness, and then levy sufficient tax to
meet the ordinary expenses OF the
county.
The following is the bill:
A Bill
To prescribe certain duties and OBJ
LEGATIONS Of the county supervisor OF
~Newberry in relation to the books OF
account to be kept by him, and IN re-
lation to- the conduct of the fiscal al
fairs of the county.
Be it enacted by the general assem-
bly of the State of South Carolina:
Section /. That the county super
visor of Newberry county shall keep
hook called "File-hook of Claims" in
which shall be entered all claims as
presented. This book shall be print
ed and ruled with appropriate columns
showing CD claim number, (2) date
of fling, 90 by whom presented, a.
to whom claim belongs, 50 nature OF
claim, 60 date of action, CD amount
of claim, (8) amount allowed, S)
amount disallowed, Q0) item number
in supply act to which chargeable, Ql)
remarks. The number of the clair
- shall not be entered upon the book un-
I'll claim Sudll lave UOS1 e11Ao"N0
entered on the Claims Classification
Book hereinafter provided for, and
shall then be made to conform to the
number thereon. A separate claim
must be filed for each account charge
able to any particular item in the coun-
ty supply act or to any SUBDIVISION
thereof, The principal of each note
for money borrowed in anticipation OF
the collection of taxes shall be palo
directly by the county treasurer the
said treasurer holding said note as MS
voucher for the principal thereon ana
the lender fling claims with super
visor in the usual form for the inter-
est, but not principal; except Wnere
2 specific appropriation shall have
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