Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-07-17

IL
people who pay the taxes and grumble
at the way the money is spent. There
seems to be general impression that
the supervisors are responsible for
the handling of all the taxes collected
from all sources in the city and
county, but this is not the fact.
The reality Is that of 1883, SS1 81
collected In this municipality in 1915
the supervisors had but $809, 722.72
and the territory the balance. or
| s., 050, 15S.59. There will be no &C.
counting for the expenditure Of this
money by the territory to have any
great publicity until the legislature
meets next year, when biennial re-
ports of the territorial finances go to
1t. .....'..'-
hold no brief FOR the supervisors,
but am surprised at the misinforma-
ton which is circulated regarding the
financial affairs of the city and after
some explorations into these matters
for years / have come to the conclu.
sion that the city fathers have not
done so badly in many respects as
they are supposed to have done.
Former Boards Had More.
In the three years previous to the
present administration the boards OF
supervisors actually had more money
to appropriate from in the general
fund than the present board has had.
This may seem strange as the pre-
sent board has received more in taxes
than any previous board under the
present tax law, In 1912 there was
net cash balance in the general fund
of $4,000 to begin the year; in 1913,
$500 and in 1914, $4,000, while the
present board on taking office IN 1915
found but $500.
On the first of January, 1915, be-
sides $500 In the general fund there
was $4,000 In the cash basis fund
which the present board had increas-
ed to $10S,000 by the end Of 1915.
This year, by the end of December
there must be $156,000 In this cash
basis fund and it must be in gold and
not merely matter of figures
csSh Easls u Like Debt
The cash basis fund is an ever
growing liability of the general reye-
nues of the county as It Is handled
and although it appears as an asset
of the. city and is supposed to be for
the purpose of putting the different
funds on cash basis for the first
four months Of the new period, and
until the new taxes come in, 1t really
works as a debt, ever increasing as
1t is used.
Demands Grow, Funds Cut.
Under the old tax law, where the
counties received half OF all the taxes
collected in the counties from all
sources, the territory was responsible
for great deal more than 1t Is at
present, and while the city is suppos-
ed to get two-thirds Of the taxes on
real and personal property collected
it does not get this for general pur-
poses and has had much responsible |
ity placed on It without being COM
pensated sufficiently for what it has
assumed.
For the four and half years in
Guiding 1872 and the five months Of
the present year there has been col
leeted IN. this city and county the vast
sum Of Se,135,5s4.02, Of which the
county government has received So
374, ss7.02, or ~ per cent. The ter
ritofy took the balance, amounting to
$4,76o, 6s7.55 or SO per cent.
states in that the tax for state pur-
poses Is greater than that for NUM- |
cipal needs and the division between |
the two governments which was for
merly equal is now all in favor of the
territory though the functions of mu-
nieipal government have increased in |
many ways while the responsibility Of |
the territory has been lessened to a |
great extent. State taxes all over the |
mainland are but Q fraction Of what |
the municipal taxes are, but here the
tax for territorial purposes is greater |
and while it is the aim to develop |
Hawaii along traditional American |
lines the past legislatures have not |
seen tit to help that development to |
any great extent so far as the coun-
ties are concerned.
"GIfts" Received are Costly.
When the division Of the taxes was /
changed from fifty fifty to what the |
territory needed plus what was left |
over for the counties. the legislature |
gave the counties the receipts from
the sale of Iidnof licenses and the /
fines and costs collected by the cir.
cult courts. Along with these collee. |
tons the counties were allowed to /
provide for the maintenance and up.
keep of the courts and the liquor COM
and the legislature instead of |
allowing the supervisors to make APP
preparations for the needs of the two
departments retained the right to
make appropriations for their need,
giving the supervisors the privilege
Of finding the money with which to
maintain them. The costs and fines
CT the circuit courts in this county
amounted to $4,000 last year, while
The expenses we're SIS, 1000. The feesI
'f the license commission amount to