Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-11

this year and in that way determine
what tax we would have in this state
Tor the next two years. Now while
II IS perfectly true that the State Of
Maine can afford to carry on its ustui
enterprises and can afford TO make
appropriations for those objects. still
l do not regard it as open to argu-
ment that the matter Of taxes which
We VIII have to pay for the next tive
years is a matter Of interest and
matter Of responsibility to every
member OF this House here at pres
ent. because the question OF the state
tax determines the amount which each
municipality and which every ci'i-
zen OF this state has TO pay.
Now, gentlemen. the income OF the
State OF Maine is Impossible TO a'-
curately determine; the amour, n
valuation OF course we know, and i
we can fix the amount Of our direct
state tax, and we know by that meth
Cd exactly what our direct state tax
is: but a large part Of the revenue
Of the state comes from indirect taxes
the railroad tax. the savings ban.
tax and the inheritance taxes, SO tina.
IL is impossible 20 determine the eX-
act amount Of the revenue OF the state
For instance, We are unable 10 tell
what will be the amount derived from
Inheritance taxes. The income for thu
years 1913 and 1874 was $e.s5o.0 900
this Of course is in round figures
and the income for 1915 and 1915.
with an increase Of half a mill in
the tax rate. making il ten mill tax
rate, or five mills for each year in
stead Of five and four and a half, and
allowing for the extra valuation that
We have, would give s325.00o addi-
tional for the years 1915 and 1916. O..
course our business Is conducted on
tvo-year period, because we have
biennial sessions Of the legislature.
That makes a total Of slo.lT5,0Go as
the income Of this state for the mex:
TWO years Now. out Of that comes
first this matter which We have been
discussing here this morning, this
matter which has been argued to con
siderable length. matter Of 50 much
importance, in relation 70 the schools.
The schools take out Of that amount
if the present laW is retained. as i.
Will probably take cut under any IA y.
whether YOU change the method b.
which il comes cut or not. the total
amount comes out Of the State Treas
ury pust the same, and it is ss.o75,00e.
Nov that leaves .s.lQ0.0o0. II 1918
and 1871 il cost :5.229,000 to maintain
tie state departments. and that leaves
$3.50, 500-or pardon me. the state de-
partments. $4,000, 900: state institu-
tons. $3.50, 900. and highways $500
0p0. ! do not mean the was and
bridges, but those are appropriations
fixed b. law: the railroad tax which
is now refunded to the cities and
towns, 1850 900. and charities esti
mated d, s2s9,001: and that makes So
225, 900, leaving a balance Of sssp.eo1.
Now out of that again comes the es-
penses Of this Legislature, estimating
it from the last two years. at $3.50
900. and expenses for the revision Of
the statutes which would make j.
sIeQ 900. Taking that out there would
be ss9e.000: the ordinary miscellaneous
expenses 81 80 G10 making ss50.00l 10
b. appropriated among ali the differ
ent worthy projects here this win
new appropriations.
Now. that is all there IS left out Of this
81. 1890 which looked SO large, but
when you actually get down 70 the Ques-
tion OF appropriations that We have here
/ leaves yod ssyto01 for the next TIC
years. Our OF that has TO come all Your
ways and bridges and AL your pensions,
and you remember we have passed pen
sion bill here for the blind people OF the
State, approprtating something like s27,-
80 year, or sA,..1 for the next two
years, which has got 10 come out Of that
amount In addition 10 that are any new
buildings which We may build al any o.
the State institutions, anything which
We may do for the tuberculosis iHst4tU-
tons IN addition 20 the appropriations
made TWO years ago; also We must con-
slider the matter OF the retoru1atory for
women, and all those things calling for
an increase OF State expenditures; aisl
the Increases in Salaries which have
been fixed. Now, l don't know that
have any particular interes; in this, bat
l do know that we have only $3.50 70
go around all these worthy projects, and
il seems to me that il the division or tne
distribution o. il We should be fair and
right as 20 the different departments,
and We should be fair and just 10 our
constituents, and in order TO DO that il
seems 10 ne that we should get them all
together and see what we are going 10
do with the different ones, II We go
ahead and appropriate for this worthy
project and that worthy project and for
the next one and go on bind!y, we are
going to ascertain at the end Of this
session that we have more money appro-
priated than We have money 10 pay with
ard it is for that reason that this order
IS introduced; il is nothing new and moth
ing novel; 1t has been brought before
legislatures heretofore. and l understand
il has worked out successfully. Some
body has got TO pay these appropriations
that We are putting through, and it is
not wholE- the rich men of the State, il
is the individual taxpayers in the differ
ent portions Of the State who will have
10 contribute the money TO make up for
these appropriations that We pass here
this winter. and for thar reason it is a
matter OF great interest to all the citizens
Of this State; and il seems TO me il We
60 ahead in an Indifferent, haphazard
way when we reach the end Of the ses-
sion we will have an excessive appropri-
alton bill, Or else we must take upon
IL -, .t-