Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-24
CURTIS TO HAVE ADVANTAGE OF
QUARTER Mill ION OVER INCOMING
ADMINISTRAT|ON OF YEAR 1918

1-2 mills for each year. This estimate
is figured on $4,000 900 valuation, and
the income from corporation taxes and
other receipts, is figured on the basis
of the natural increase as is shown
year by year
The result shows that appropriations
can be made to the total amount of
the regular and special appropriations
asked for 1915 and 1916 on 4 1-2 mill
tax rate for each year. 1t can be done
by a tax rate of five mills in19l5 and
mills in 1916. because the tax rate of
the second year of an administration
has practically no bearing on the cash
receipt of the government that makes
it, as about ninety per cent of the tax
comes in the next year. A rate of
mills for the second year is not enough,
because the total appropriation for
schools about equals the receipts from
4 mills taxation as the table for 1913
and 1915 clearly shows. The Common
School and Mill tax apportioned in
1872 payable early in 1918 with the
Railroad tax apportioned in 1912 pay
able after Jan /. 1913, total S1,64S,-
87197 The uncollected taxes of 1912,
a mills) to pay this amounted to ST.
592. 1891 which was $48.43S less than
the amount required to pay these APP
propriations The Common School and
Mill tax apportioned in 1914 payable in
1915 with the Railroad tax, amounts to
81, 6S1. 615.37. The uncollected taxes OF
1914 q IL mill rate1 to meet these eX-
penditures will amount to at least ST.,
$50, 265 40, balance for the State of
about sS20S,6 difference in favor of
the administration of 1915 as compared
with that of 1913 of over s250.000.
Chapter las of the Public Laws of
1911 which calls for these reports with
the Auditors estimates excerpts from
the provisions of the act all appropri-
ations necessary TO meet the expenses
of the Legislature | nave given the
expense of the last Legislature, and the
estimated expense of the incoming
Legislature. To make a true estimate
on which to base a tax rate, all receipts
and expenditures should be known.
wish to mention the fact that while the
salaries of all officers of the Senate
and House are fixed by law. a custom
has grown up in the Legislature to add
from fifty to one hundred per cent to
these salaries by a resolve at the close
of the Legislative session. This is d
custom that should no longer be al
lowed. If the salaries are not enough
they should be raised lawfully. 1t is an
unpleasant duty for an Auditor to
question resolve for additional salary
for officers of the Legislature, different
in amount than that fixed by statute
This question came up at the session of
the last Legislature upon the pay roll
of the officers of the Senate and House.
and to meet the objection then made
by the State Auditor, Chap. 21S was
passed, raising the salaries of the Of
ficers of the Senate and House to the
amount provided by the law of 1907
and the usual resolve passed by each
Legislature. There should be no further
excuse for resolves calling for amounts
different from that fixed by the present
statute for the salary of any officer of
the Legislature.
Chapter 217 of the Laws of 1913 re-
curing all departments, Boards, Com
missions, and Institutions receiving
money or fees to pay the same into the
State Treasury, and requiring all bills
to pass through the State Auditors
Office, is a great improvement over the
pAiiiNl iiSthOd. All receipts OF lUSll-
tutions and departments, including the
State Prison, are now paid into the
Treasury and the bills for payment
audited in the Auditors Office. Think
of an institution like the State Prison
doing a business of $4,000 or
$4,000 a year formerly subject to
no inspection except from the Prison
Inspectors. All the money was re-
ceived by the Warden and all the bills
We're paid by him, making it practi-
cally an outside institution. Now this
is all changed and every bill of expense
comes through the State Auditor
Office.
The expenses of a few other State
Boards, where the disbursements are
small, are paid, without any appropri-
alton from the State, from fees re-
ceived by them, and these fees are paid
into the State Treasury. All appro-
priations necessary for the expenses
of State departments should be made
by the Legislature, as is the usual Gus
tom, and the amount known. The last
Legislature departed from this Gus
tom. During the closing days of the
session, after the Appropriation Com
mittee had inserted in the appropri-
alton bill the amounts for all depart
ments, an Act was passed by the Leg