The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-12-19
STATE TAX LEVY
To BE INCREASED
0ae Extra Mill Needed to Meet En-
penses for Current Year, Says
Comptroller General
The State.

The State.
'It now appears as if the eXpendl-
lures for 1916 will exceed the revenue
by sS33,234.29, a taxable levy of ap-
proximately one MILL" said state
ment issued yesterday by Carlton W.
Sawyer, comptroller general, discus
sing the financial condition of the
State government. The last legisla,
ture provided a tax levy of six ana
one-half mills.
Developments yesterday make IL
certain that the question Of finances
will be among the most important In
the next general assembly.
This will necessarily have to be
provided" Mr.. Sawyer continued, "for
in the appropriation bill of 1917, and
means that the levy for State pur-
poses in 1917 will be much higher
than it is now, for, the statutes spe-
cidcally state that levy must be
made which is sufficient to defray the
necessary expenses of the State gov
ernment.
J. T. Lilies Of Orangeburg, chairma1.
Of the ways and means committee Oh
the house, who was in Columbia yes
terday, was of the opinion that the
levy of six and one-half mills will DC
sufficient to meet the situation, pro-
vided the taxpayers send in the tax
money at an early date To date the
State treasurer has received S14G,-
1884 in State taxes. The total
amount assessed against the various
counties is S2,023,906.
Mr.. Sawyer said that for NUM-
ber of years the general assembly has
been making appropriations in excess
of the revenue of the State govern
ment, thereby drawing on the casa
balance on hand in the State treasury.
Accounts Protected.
"a few months ago." said MIR. Saw
yer, sit developed that the 100000
which the financial board was author
ICED to borrow to meet the current
expenses of the State government fol-
the year 1916, would not be sufa-
cent to meet the demands, and We
found that it was necessary to make
arrangements to take care of accounts
in the sum of s3O0,000. In other
words, if the financial board had been
authorized to borrow .S1,000,000 III
stead of 100000 in anticipation Of
the collection Of taxes for 1916, this
condition would not have existed. The
tax levy for 1916 is six and one-half
mills, OF, one half mill less than
1915. reduction in ad valorem taxes
of $155,6S5. The revenue from other
sources will show a reduction of about
$4,000, or total reduction in rev.
enue of s194,6S5."
It was pointed out by the CONF
rroller general that the appropriation
bill of 1916 amounted to $2,496, 6,14o.-
20. The total revenue from the six
and one-half mills levy, according to
the tax duplicates amounted to ST.
0s3,S06.. The revenue from license
taxes and indirect revenues amounte1
to s299,00o. This leaves cleal
reficit Of s163,234. To this deficit
must be added the amount authorized
to be borrowed for enforcement OF
law and order, which was $4,000. The
State Hospital for the insane, the
comptroller general is Informed, has
contracts covering the $4,000, which
was not borrowed but which will
s,ave to be provided for in 1917. There
is an obligation of the State in the
sum of $4,000 in the form of note
Of the sinking fund commission, which
must be taken care Of at the next
session of the legislature Taking
these figures into consideration Mr..
Sawyer said that the OBLIGATIONS Of
the State over revenue in 1916 woulc
amount to s333,234. 20.
Credit Uninjured.
Mr.. Lilies gave out the following
statement:
'The State Of South Carolina has
not operated on cash basis since
1890, because claims against the State
come due at times when the tax re-
turns have been insufficient to meet
them. II all taxes levied for Stats
purposes for the year 1916 had been
collected and were in the hands or
the State treasurer the State would
pay every dollar OF it's Indebtedness.
According to the estimated value OF
the taxable property in South Caro-
Sina and the income to the State from
ali other sources, a six and one-halr
mill levy was sufficient to cover the
appropriation for 1916, with the ex-
eeption of the two conditional appro-
eriations made for law enforcement
and the continued progress OF the
work at the State Hospital for the
Insane. There is no cause for uneasl.
ness or alarm in regard to the present
situation. When the taxpayers pay
their taxes the claims against the
State will be paid and, in the mean
time, the credit Of South Carolina re-
mains unimpaired, and is regarded
as equal to that Of any State in the
Union and far better than a major