Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1914-1915, 1915-01-07
hANNA'S ADVICE
TO LEGISLATORS

htCUllIlllGIluS GlldllgtSI Ill SldltS
Financial Methods.
BODY TOO LARGE
Governor Would Reduce Number Of
Senators and Representatives and
Extend Their Terms Of Office to
Four Years-Favors ouadrenniaI In.
stead Of Biennial Sessions, Unless
Extraordinary Conditions Arise.
Bismarck, Jan. ;a-Governor Hanna.
his message to the legislature, dis
Gus ed the finances Of the state at
'isngth and urged immediate action by
the lawmakers to remedy existing con-
.6itions. The message, In part, fol-
lows:
1.-TWO years ago upon coming into
the Office as governor of the state"f
had an examination made as to the
financial condition and found the state
ewing $601.479.99. This floating debt
was composed Of appropriations which
had been made by a previous legisla-
lturH and which had not been paid and
Included $17s, 046.0 s due the state nor
mai at Minot, also unpaid bills, also
some outstanding warrants against
The general fund and also an amount
duo the Eve agricultural training
schools. To meet this there was cash
t the state treasury to therscredit.o of.
the general fund Of s71s496.s4 and it
was estimated that there would come
IN from uncollected taxes due the
state for the: past biennial period $40:
900, maKiinlg..'' q total u expected re-
ceipts Of s24l,,496. 94s leaving . deficit:
IN the general fund on Jan. 1, 1913, of
cess, S3.0s.Ass There was also due for
approved glandered horse claims. for
which no provision had been made,
the sum of $29.346, and for registered
ana unpaid wolf bounty warrants $S.-
S06.50. 20 ~; was found that the state
owed altogether ,az floating debt OF
almost 100000 over and above any
cash on hand or money coming IN
from back taxes "a
"For number of years It had been
customary to levy three mills on the
dollar of the assessed valuation of the
propertyssa the state for the general
fund. Then in addition other levies
were made amounting in the aggre'
gate to 1.47 mills, thus exceeding the
four mills authorized. by constitu-
ton. Deducting this 1.47 mills from
the four.mill levy would leave but 2.53
mills that could be levied for the gen
efal fund to conduct the business of
the state-an amount entirely mad.
eQuate. =.v @ ="
COURT ANNuLs LEVY.
"This past year (1914) the state
board Of equalization determined to
levy the tax at straight four mills, as
provided by the constitution, and al
their meeting the levy was made
they levied three mills for the genera
fund and the remaining mill wal
divided between the various 80 called
mill levies. This levy vas taken into
the courts and our supreme court held
that the state board of equalization
could not levy a tax Of more than foul
mills and that the four mills must in
clude all of the so called mill tai
levies as well as the tax levy for the
general fund. The levy was finally
made at four mills and the amount o,
the standing appropriations. for thu
executive, legislative and judicia
branches of the government, wer'
covered in full and the so called non
preferred claims, amounting to nearl!
$3O0,0 900, and the various so calle'
mill levies were reduced by abou
38h per cent each, in order to brini
the total within the levy that cal
legally be made. It is apparent t.
everyone that if the legislature shall
make and continue to make mil
levies for specific purposes and con
tinue the present mill levies as the.
now stand on our statutes and thereb.
cut down the levy that can be mad
for the general fund, and shall con
tinue the present standing appropria
tons and make further appropria
lions from the general fund, the fun
that must maintain and support tn
state government, that 1t will be i'm
possible for any administration t
meet the demands made upon tn
state treasury unless the assessed va.
uation Of the property of the stat
shall be very materially increased.
"The state board Of equalization
hesitated to raise the assessed value
ton of the property of North Dakot
for the reaso that had they done 8
1T would also have increased the ga
aries of the county officers in a mi
jority of the counties. Of the state, th
county officers salaries being base
upon the assessed valuation Of tn
property In the counties,,sand it+woul
also have raised the debt limit. 9
cities, towns and school districts to
dangerous degree.
URGES WISE ECONOMY.