The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-05-25
ECONOMY URGED IN
Philips MESSAGE
GOVERNOR GIVES WARNING TO
WISCONSIN LEGISLATURE ON
APPROPRIATIONS.
REVIEWS STATE FINANCE
Executive Makes recommendation to
Lawmakers and Says Excessive
Grants VIII Compel Heavier
Property Taxation.

Madison.-"Before you ever vote
upon another appropriation bill,
therefore, you start with present
authorization in excess of special re-
ceipts which, if not diminished by
repeal, will require property tax
OF 1874, 900. No action whatever
is required to compel this sum of
1914, 900 in the tax levy. To reduce
that levy will require specific action
by the legislature. In other words,
II amounts already appropriated are
not reduced by legislative action
every dollar that from now on is vot-
ed for any purpose whatsoever, will
come out Of the property tax and
will be fixed in the tax levy by the
legislature before it adjourns."
This is the gist of a 5000 word
message sent by Gov. Philip to the
legislature reviewing the financial
condition of the state and the appro-
priations to be made by this legisla-
ture.
Message of Governor.
The governor says in part:
AS the result of an investigation
by able accountants covering a period
OF nearly two months, 1 am now able
to present to you such financial esti-
mates as the governor should be able
to give the legislature at the opening
OF the legislature. Careful estimates
indicate that at the close of the fiscal
year June 80, 1915, the state treas
och hn1o 30
1888, 900. Though called a cash
balance, it is not free and unen-
numbered balance. A milestone of
obligation hangs over it. This bal
ance is not available for reducing APP
preparations for next years work.
Against it are authorizations on ac-
count of this and previous years of
s4,5s1,000, which, subject to legisla-
tive action, will be in force and un-
applied June 80, 1915 (sS97,000 for
operations and s3,694,OOO for i'm
provements). Some of these author
1zations might be repealed Zone
million five hundred and forty-two
thousand dollars; others can be lap
sed at the end of the year, such as
the $4,000 for operation; less
STA, 900 balance in revolving funds;
others represent permanent improve
ment already begun which must be
paid for out of next years tax levy,
$2,152,OO0).
In this connection it will be inter-
esting to learn that during the fiscal
year now about to close, the expendi-
lures of the state government, in
Guiding strictly agency transactions,
will be 3,896,500; the receipts
from all sources, 3,023,95O; al
ready an excess Of expenditures over
receipts of s827,55O.
For Working Fund.
Besides the s4,591,OOO of unap-
piled balances which includes So
694, 900 for improvements, there is
contingent liability of from ST.
100000 to 100000 of which
s987,800 is now in litigation as paid
under protest by an insurance COM
pany for taxes the state may have to
pay back if the courts decide against
she state in the suit now pending
"The next year will begin, there
fore, unless the legislature enacts
otherwise with certain liability of
$4,597, 900 because of previous years
authorizations besides a contingent
liability of $987,800 actually in 1iti-
CATION, but even disregarding the
contingent liabilities, the cash bal
ance of $2,933,000 may not be
counted upon to help us meet the GER
tain liability This cash balance is
$372,550 less than the balance with
which the year 1914-15 began. The
state needs 100000 as working
fund with which to begin each fiscal
year and without borrowing to tide
orer the first six months period be-
fore the bulk of taxes are paid in.
Even if you should vote to use the
cash balance as partial offset to
tfa liabilities of 1915, you must an
tjcipate conditions the next July and
vote 100000 for treasury bal
aG &c with which to begin the second
year of the biennium. Except as the
legislature by special act lapses I'M
applied balances for operations and
reoeals authorizations for improve
ments, there vii, be a certain iabili
ty of s4,591,0 in July, besides a
contingent liability of from S9S7,SOO
to S2,500,OO0 Merging these liza
bi:ities in next years bookkeeping or
forgetting about them, or blinking
them, does not remove them. The OBJ