The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-14

This commission could be constituted of the same officers that the constitution requires to make up and present the revenue measure, or it could consist of citizens entirely disconnected with the state government.
 Results Obtained
 Tn presenting to you the present status of the financial condition of the state, submit the figures from which the results are obtained, because necessarily some es- inmates are used in ascertainng what the conditions will be several months in ad- vance. These estimates, however, are con sidered conservative, and are made by those who are familiar with the appro- priations and the states requirements, and l am sure cannot vary far from the correct amounts.
 The deficit is over s2,50O,000 and is as certained in the following manner
 July 12, 1915. outstanding. ..... s1, 731 S32. IS
 Warrants amount to-
 Loan on note ...................... 300, GOO. .00 Estimated excess of eXpendi-
 lures over receipts for bal
 ance of July, August and Sep
 temper ......................... 423,0SS S1 Feeding prisoners ................ 130.00O. % Refund to foreign corporations. 100000 Certificates of indebtedness for
 interest ............................ S5oOO.oo Less cash on hand in the treas
 ury July 12, 1915 ................. 1S1, ,525.S4 Leaving a net total deficit Sep
 temper 30 1915, of............... 2,5SS 345. 15
 Tn addition to this on the following day, October 1, we have large payments to make: To the old soldiers. s271 GOO, and to the schools, sl4s,o0o
 You will see from this that on October 1 we will have matured indebtedness of over s3,000,000. with no cash on hand to meet the OhliQatinpE and without authority of law for its procurement"
 The records in the auditors office show that during the present fiscal year that more than 5000 pieces of property have been sold for taxes. This property includes that of the most in significant in value, and possessed by the humblest citizens, as well as some of the finest property within the state. This is the largest amount of property which the state has had to sell in the collection of taxes ever before in it's history, and emphasizes the fact that the duties levied upon a large part of OUT citizenship is a burden difficult for them to sustain, and that during these times of depression and distress pay men of the dues to their government are not so easily made
 If the proposed tax measures, under present conditions can be made to equal the present scale of expenditures with out creating an unjust burden upon anyone, you are to be congratulated, and you should not hesitate to adopt it into law"
 In conclusion the governor said: 'I believe you can be of great service to the different social units of the state if you will concentrate the responsi- bilities of administration in the towns, cities and counties. We have tried com. mission form of government, and those cities that have three commissioners seem to desire five. and those with five are agitating a change to three. If more authority was concentrated in the mayors of the cities they could be held responsible for the financial condition, and the aldermanic board would only act as balance wheel and make flaws not pertaining to the finances but2sin- ply passing upon the recommenda tion or the executive. This applies to coun- 1 ties as well as to the towns and cities. You have much work before you and should not fail to secure all the infor- nation available upon which to base your action, for 1t is only in such a spirit that we can expect to frame laws that will stand the test of experience