Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-14

this Legislature, toSttiitl WIN N"'''''A
tation with the Governor. l cannot
quite feel that that would be the right
way, on the last day of this session, to
act l sincerely hope that the attitude
and action of the committee will be sus-
tanned.
Mr.. MAXWELL: Just a word, Mr.
President; the thing we are up against
the way | look at it is this Now let us
consider this just what we have got to
meet. If at the end of 1913 the state au-
ditor finds that the receipts have not
been equal to the expenditures, what
happens? | have been through it time
after time. The state owes our town at
the end of the year four or five thousand
dollars. Now what happened two years
ago? When it came to the end of the
year they owed us for three-quarters of
State pensions. they owed lis our state
highway moneys, they owed us our high
school money, they owed us our commoi.
school money. And what was the condi-
tom When it came to final settlement.
l telephoned up here to Augusta. They
hadn't paid us a cent Mr.. Stevens told
me that the condition was such that they
could not pay us, but that we must pay
our state tax because they had got to
have that for pressing needs, but that we
would have to wait for what the State
in from the following year. The fact of
the ease was that we had to send our
entire state tax to the State. and We
had to carry in our town report so much
money due from the State.
Now that is all right in a case where a
town has got the money on hand and
can do it, but what are you up against
in the poor towns that haven't it? You
have got to so to the bank or to some
body and hire the money and wait until
such time as the State can pay you.
That is the whole there is to this pro-
position 1t is just a matter of our APP
propriating and raising Il sufficient
amount of money so that at the end of
the year the State will have funds to pay
the various towns what the State owes
them. And if you do not do it, the towns
have got to wait for their money. Os L
say, I know by personal experience. We
have been through this time after time.
and two years ago it was just exactly
that condition. But at the end of this
past year every town in Maine got every
dollar there was due them and every
body was easy.
That seems to me Just what YOU are up
against. where it is an acknowledged
fact by all these parties that AZ. mill
will not take care of the situation next
year but that that would take care of it
in the two years. And it seems to me at
the end of this year the State is going
to owe lot of money that it can't pay
and somebody will have to wait for it,
and the ones who have got to wait for 1t
is these poor towns. No / say that il
is wrong.
Mr.. RICHARDSON'S: Mr. President.
may | ask for the reading of the amend
ment again. please.
The PRESIDENTS: Certainly.
The amendment was read by the secre-
tary
Mr.. RICHARDSON: Have We not
passed the bill for 1912
The PRESIDENT: We have.
Mr.. RICHARDSON'S: That would make
the rate for the two years SO, instead of
81? tzz
The PRESIDENT: 1t would
Mr. RICHARDSON: So that tie
amendment does not cover the situation
| think the case as cited by Senator
Maxwell is not quite parallel. We all
know the condition Of the State treasury
two years ago. We also know that Ct
Year later the State treasury was over
flowing, and I cannot quite see-where
this Legislature, this administration
comes into possession of balance of
$4,000 it can be surmised that that will
be all wiped out. and | cannot see how
that $4,000 will disappear entirely in one
year of Republican administration. |
cannot believe it.
Mr.. WING: Mir. President. we have
made certain appropriations. and il
seems TO me II IS now as important to
nave the money to pay the bills as il
vas to make the appropriations. and
you are all aware of this fact, that lie
appropriations for 1915 ere larger than
the appropriations for 1914, and I be-
heVe that the rate should be larger
for this year to meet those appropria-
tions. Now the state auditor. and he
If any one in the State of Maine ought
to know what is required. tells Us
tiiets tiit idtc vi = 81 Hills Is lnSuftlc-
lent to pay the bills. that there will he
d deficit if we establish that rate And
| believe that we should amend no.
only this bill but the one that we have.
already passed, to make the rate lower
on the assessment for 1914. which will
give US the same amount for the two
years, but it will be available so that
we can meet the larger apprOpria tons
for 1913, and have the money to take
care cf them, instead of making the
rate uniform for the two years.
Mr.. BURLEIGH of Aroostook: Mr..
President, now as | understand it, the
assessment of the tax for 1914 is not
available to pay any of our bills Tor
that year. 1t is available for the year
1916 as the taxes are paid in. The last
years tax was four mills. That was
available for this year, and ii we pass
IA, for 1913, we shall have during the
administration of Governor Haincs S
81 mills of tax which will if it takes
4 "a mills each year to meet the obi
cations for those two Years leave n
deficiency OF "a of Il mill. think that
We should make the larger sum this
year, to be available next year and
during this administration of the two
years. | think ] should favor the larger
tax this year so that it would be avail
81 nj ffI axyf nd ~