Arizona republican., 1912-03-19
MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR
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luent and tn make possible the val ions institutional improvements de- manded by rapidly increasing pop ulation. while the benefits to be here after derived from the grants ot pun lie lands are as vet not available, ls g problem of ho mean proportions and one which should be faced with seriousness. considered with prudence, and it's solution adopted with cauuon. So far as my efforts may go. every core shall b, exercised in the eN- uenditure of public funds. and while, as have repeatedly declared, no uepnv wise and pound foolish policy shall prevail. there shall be n" eN- u-nditureS without the clearesJ war rant of law and without thh @sSur- ance of d fully compensatinE gam.
 Fortunately for the state. the con ,stitution. in Article TX thereof. pro yides the foundation and authority for a modern. advanced. equitable and adequate system for the securing of revenue by taxation. l trust tAa' The first state legislature will leave little to be desired in the detm.c1 and vitalization of these constitutional provisions
 For the present. and with such ..atutorv law as there is tt con:G'and, earnestly urge the taxing 1u:h"r'- lies ro perform their duties faith!nlly and fearlessly. with full assur2nc" of thc admin. SJrSrion'S supn':L and |" assess all classes and characters "i property. wherever situated and by ypomsoever oWu,u. in la"-.' "i S'-."| amount. not only equitahly and justly. h.. upon tho basis or d far NalU"- son IL ls notorious f%ct t1'f oe:r.ln .,3sSe, "f "r'p"rI' III Alizona have never supplied ;, fair proposition of the public rev- cnue. and although sporadic efforts have been made to correct this Sltu- ation. il has never been corrected t" the present day. A consequence the small property owners, and par ticularlv the owners of agricultural lands though least able to bear the burden. are supplying a great deal more than their proper proportion of the public funds
 IL is a matter of such common in formation as to occasion no disputa. ton that the large mining corpora- hOnS. telephone. telegraph and express com panies. operating in the state. are escaping the payment of their fair share of taxes. and your particular attention is directed to the laws al- tecting these companies, tp the end that they may be forced [" con tribute equ ally with the owner of d horse. a COW. an humble home. or d plot of ground to the maintenance of the institutions of the state. Let It not be said that in Arizona wealth or position place or power are potent to secure immunity from the laws of the land or alleviation of the require ments visited upon those in nor" modest stations.
 Other and pTogreSsiv" states, through tax commissions of from one te five members composed of the best fitted men to be secured by ap- pointment. are finding satisfactory solution of the revenue problem. Should such system. which I recom- mend 10 your careful consideration. be found advisable for Arizona. it should properly take the place of the board of equalization provided by the constitution. and which was made amerdable by statutory law
 Present Status of State Funds.
 The present status of the state treasury presents situation for which an immediate remedy will have to be provided. When the state of ficers took charge on the 14th day of February. with four and one half months of the present fiscal year re- maining. and little prospects of an appreciable accession of funds before next December. the general fund showed a balance of about S107,000 a sum entirely inadequate to meet the demands which will of necessity be made upon it. The reasons for the smallness and insufficiency of this balance are not of chief moment at this time. but ii is not out of place 10 say in passing that the condition may be partially explained by the fact that the territorial board of equaliZa- ton. in making it's tax levy for the fiscal year ending June %. 1912, re- duced the levy from seventy cents to siXty-five cents on each one hundred dollars. thereby materially reducing the revenue. while the expense of maintaining the territOry's institutions. owing to a rapidly growing popula- lion, is increasing year by year. This reduction of the tax rate. at q time when it was neither wise or judi eious. and incapable of justification on any grounds except that of political eXpediency-a state campaign being then imminent-has left the general fund as well as several of the spe- cial funds in q most unpromising condition. On the first day of the current month the general fund show ed a balance on hand of Sl0l .539.37 IT it were not necessary to take into ac- count at all the unusual and una void able expenses incident to the transit ton from a territorial to q state form of government. the readjustment and remOdeling of rooms in the capi- Iol to accommodate officials hereto fore nOn-eXistent ar housed elsewhere. the extra clerk hire Occasioned by the large volume of new business, the eX- pense of this legislative session and the salaries and expenses heretofore paid by the federal government. the balance in the general fund.- based on