Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-23
STATE FINANCE COMMITS
SION.

Under the existing laws of Illinois
the authority for the assessment and
collection of taxes and other state
revenues, and for control over expen-
ditures are divided between a large
number of officials, without concentrat-
ed responsibility; while the powers of
all these officials are inadequate for
an efficient supervision over state
finances. The most important finance
officials are the auditor of public ac-
counts and the state treasurer. But
important duties are also placed on
the governor as in approving the pay
ments from the Illinois Central rail-
road, the secretary of state as receiver
of corporation fees and automobile
licenses, the attorney general, in sup
cruising the inheritance tax, and the
superintendent of insurance, as re-
ceiver of insurance fees and taxes.
The state board of equalization Is
cumbersome body OF 20 members,
elected by congressional districts, with
limited and inadequate powers. There
is also an eX-officio state tax levy
board and a court of claims; while
the department and institution audi
tor acts as the agent OF the governor
in approving and auditing bills.
With the present arrangements, the
assessment of property for taxation is
VIGOROUSLY inefficient and unequal;
the collection of revenues is lax and
the cost of collection is excessive;
there is no satisfactory system OF ac-
counting; and there is no adequate
machinery for preparing a compre-
hensive budget OF estimated appro-
priations and revenues.
In the plans under consideration
by the efficiency and economy COM
mittee, which meets tomorrow, it is
proposed to consolidate and coordinate
the finance administration under the
general supervision of a state finance
commission, to consist of the audi
tor of public accounts, the state treas
urer and three other members, to be
appointed by the governor with the
advice and consent of the senate, not
more than three members OF the COM
mission to be from the same political
party.
This state finance commission Is to
take the place of the. state board of
equalization, the state tax levy board
and the court of claims, and is to
have power to prescribe forms, regula-
tions and instructions for other state
and local officials, and to hear and de-
termine appeals from such officials, in
relation to the assessment, levy and
collection OF taxes, the keeping of &C
counts, the investigation OF expendi-
lures and claims, and to supervise the
preparation of estimates for appropria-
tons.
One of the appointed members OF
the commission is to be chairman and
secretary or commissioner of finance.
and is to be charged with direct super
vision over all matters requiring &C
ton by the commission as a whole.
Another appointed member is to be
state tax commissioner, with direct
supervision over local assessors, au-
thority to make original assessments
of railroad property and the capital
stock OF corporations and control over
the collection of the Inheritance tax
and automobile licenses. The other
appointed member Is to be commits
sioner of accounts. with authority to
prepare systems OF accounts, and to
conduct examinations and investiga-
tions OF accounts and expenditures.
under the direction OF the finance COM
mission or the governor.
The auditor of public accounts and
the state treasurer should continue
their present functions. with the audi
tors power strengthened, so as to en-
able him to maintain an effective audit
OF all state revenues and disburse-
ments,