Imperial Valley press., 1916-08-15
STATE FINANCES

~-rS"--
man, state board of control.
Every taxpayer in the state of Cali
fornia, whether he is the president of
bank or the owner of a little subur-
ban lot should read the financial state
ment Of the state government for the
Sixty-seventh and Sixty-eighth fiscal
years and learn at first hand from
what sources state revenues are derived
and upon what objects they are ex-
pended.
This official statement, just issued
shows that the entire taxes and rev.
enues of the state for the Sixty-seventh
and Sixty-eighth fiscal years, embrac-
ing the two years between July /,
1915, and June 80, 1917, total $38, ,43O,-
333.7O, or approximately $19,170,OOO a
year. The total appropriations and
fixed charges of the state govern
ment for the same period are 35,997,-
086.47, or approximately $17,998,50O a
year. Thus there is in the fiscal
period a surplus of current revenues
over current expenditures Of $685.
247.29 for the fiscal period.
The sources Of state revenue will
prove most interesting. Under the
system Of taxation adopted in 1910
state and local taxes were divided, the
burden of supporting the state gov
eminent falling practically in it's en-
tirety upon the corporation Of the
state.
The official figures show that of the
entire revenue totalling $38,340,3 ,333.76
for the two fiscal years the sum Of
$31 1,518,533.16 is paid by the follow
ing classes of corporations: Railroads,
street railways, light, heat and power
corporations; telegraph and telephone
companies; car and express companies;
national banks and state banks; in
surance companies and general cor
porations.
Of the remaining $6,821, 10000 the
sum of $4,50O,OO0 is derived from in
heritance taxes. 1t may not be gen.
orally recognized that inheritance
taxes fall only upon substantial in
heritances. The law specifically pro-
vides for the exemption to every
widow of the first $4,000 of her hus-
bands estate.
Of the remaining $2,321 10000 the
sum of 100000 is paid by the coun-
ties for interest on highway monies
expended within their boundaries. The
principal of the $1S,O00,OOO state high
way bond issue is payable by the
state, the interest on the bonds is
payable by the counties in proportion
to the amount of the issue spent with
in their borders.
Of the remaining $1,721 ,80O.60 the
sum of $466,72O is derived from inter-
est on deposits in banks of the states
running cash balance and the states
cash surplus.
Of the remaining $1,255, ,OS0.6O the
sum of $35O,OOO is derived from fees
of the secretary of states office. The
principal part of these fees comes from
the filing of articles of incorporation.
Of the remaining $905,O80.6O the
sum of $3SO,OOO is derived from the
payments for maintenance of inmates
of the Preston and Whittier schools
and Sonoma state home.
The remainder of the revenue, $685.
OSO.60 is derived from various sources,
Including fish and game licenses, fees
OF insurance commissioner, supreme
and appellate court fees, delinquent
property taxes, etc.
This much for the revenues. The OBJ
jects of expenditures are not less in
lteresting.
Of the total $35,997. .086.47 for the
lp, esent two years, the enormous sum
OF $16,469,629 is devoted to education.
tOf this sum the common schools take
$S, S,s6O,OOO; the high schools the sum
of $1,521 900; the University of Cali
fornia the sum of ,247,S74; the state
normal schools, California Polytechnic,
Hastings College of the Law and In
stitution for the Deaf and Blind 81
l92O,755; and free textbooks for the
common schools $250,000.
Of the remaining expenditures the
sum of $5,662,820 goes for the main
tenance and improvements of the
states charitable and benevolent in
stitutions. Of this sum the hospitals
for the insane take $4,267,72O, the
homes for the veterans Of the wars
and blind people the sum of $42O,00o
and the aid of orphans and half or
pEans $975,000.
Of the remaining expenditures cor
rectional institutions take $2,864,2Oc.
The prisons take of this sum Sl,9ll'-
200 and the reformatories for boys and
girls $953,OOO.
Of the sum of 1921, ,6O2.43 is absorbed