Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1915-05-28
GOVERNOR GIVES WARNING TO
WISCONSIN LEGISLATURE ON
APPROPRIATIONS
REVIEWS STATE FINANCE
Executive Makes recommendation to
Lawmakers and Says Excessive
Grants Will Compel Heavier
Property Taxation.

ceipts which, If not diminished by
repeal, will require a property tax
OF $S,741, 900. No action whatever
is required to compel this sum of
$8,741 900 in the tax levy. To reduce
that levy will require specific action
by the legislature. In other words,
If 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 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 legisia-
ture.
Message of Governor.
The governor says in part:
GAS the result Of an investigation
by able accountants covering a period
OF nearly two months, | 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
ury will have a cash balance of
1888, 900. Though called a cash
balance, it is not a free and unen~
Il hDSn 49, -
obligation hangs over it. This bal
ance is not available for reducing ap~
preparations for next years work.
Against it are authorizations on ac-
count of this and previous years OF
81, 591, 900, which, subject to legisla-
tive action, will be in force and I'M
applied June 80, 1915 ($897,000 for
operations and s3,694,000 for i'm
prOvements). Some of these author
iZations might be repealed.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
che $4,000 for operation; less
$114, 900 balances in revolving funds;
others represent permanent improve
ment already begun which must be
paid for out Of next years tax levy.
$2,152,000).
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
ending strictly agency transactions,
will be $13,896,50O; the receipts
from all sources. SIS, 023,95O; al
| ready an excess of expenditures over
receipts of $S27,550.
For Working Fund.
besides the $4,591,000 of unap-
piled balances which includes So
694 900 for improvements, there is
contingent liability Of from ST.
100000 to 100000 Of which
1887, 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
the state in the suit now pending.
THE next year will begin, there
fore, unless the legislature enacts
otherwise, with a certain liability of
$4,597 600 because Of previous years
authorizations besides a contingent
liability Of $987,S00 actually in liti-
cation, but even disregarding the
contingent liabilities, the cash bal
ance Of $2,933, 600 may not be
counted upon to help us meet the GER
| tain liability This cash balance is
| $S72 $50 less than the balance with
| which the year 1914-15 began. The
| state needs 100000 as a working
| furd with which to Begin each fiscal
| year and without borrowing to tide
over 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 a partial offset to
| the liabilities Of 1915, you must an
| ticipate conditions the next July and
vote $3,000,000 for treasury bal
ance with which to begin the second
| year Of the biennium. Except as the
| legislature by special act lapses un-
| applied balances for operations and
repeats authorizations for improve
ments, there will be a certain liabili-
| ty of $4,591, 900 in July. besides q
| contingent liability Of from $987,S0C
| to $2,500,000 Merging these liza
bilities in next years bookkeeping OF
| forgetting about them, or blinking
| them, does not remove them. The OBJ
|