The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-30
Treasury Shows Balance With
Greatest Expenditures IN the
History of Commonwealth
SEGREGATION SYSTEM
RECEIVES BIG PRAISE
Collections Far in Excess Of
Amy Previous Year-Crimi-
nal Expenses Fall Off
Through Prohibition

Despite the fact that Virginia spent
more money in the last twelve months
than ever before in a like period. thu
fiscal year ended last night with a
balance of $55S.020.09 in the state
treasury. an Increase of s11s,70S.62<
Although losing the huge liquor IL
cenSe tax, the state has Just passed
through the greatest period for COL
Iectlons in its history. there being
received from all sources 50, o 1854.
while its disbursements totaiied So
994 .12s.42.
Segregation OF taxes, with all off,
Gals, county, city and state, Coop
Grating in every possible way, is as
signed as our reason for the big In
crease in the states resources. The
new system, which only went into ef-
rect two years ago, had It's first real
trial.
> The collections for the fiscal year
Just closed amounted to s1.2s3, 30S as.
more than for the previous twefye
months The disbursements were
larger BY sT40,134.SS. That the treas-
, ury does not show a balance of near
iy a million is due to the fact. that
the state spent ~s408.45a.ss more ia
1915 than it took in. This deficit was
} not only wiped ont. but sf14,g0s.s2
was added to the book balance.
Liquor Tar Not Missed.
The huge increase in collections. In
spite of the loss of liquor license taxes
r of approximately $3.50, 900, is due, ac-
~cording to John r, Sale, assistant au-
, ditor. to a general increase along the
whole line. More property has been
5 assessed and a large part OF the in
. crease is due TO two large items. the
abroad franchise and autoyaohflA
l RSes and the merchant tax.
Increased expenditure rvera ~ar.~A
v ny the turning over of approximately
. Ssoa.e96 TO the public schools and
] the considerable increase in the aav-
= mehts Tor road work amounting to
approximately $3.50, 900. Then. TOT.
state has paid out approximately
= $4,000 because of the war. this
3 amount being spent on the mob1liya-
ton of troops and the guarding OF
private and public utilities, items not
considered when the yearly budget
was made up.
Z Although 1t had been predfct.d thsY
e tne loss of the liquor revenues would
i au4i Iae state the general merchants
: tax mas increased sufficiently to al
= most wipe out the loss of that big
a item In the last five years TIA 49,
: chants' tax has increased mora thar
bV per cent. now amounting 10 n,ors
4 tnan SI,100, 900 a year. The largest
n increase was during the fiscal yesr
gust closed. and is taken to indicate
ithae me merchants are receiving the
benefit of the money formerly snert
on whiskey. the tax being based an
actual purchases.
Criminal Expenses less.
Ihe prohibition period Of eleven
months out OF the fiscal year has "a
suited in a. decrease of $40. 8 in
terminal expenses, Including ina cost
or keeping the prisoners, trials ana
courts. Fines. however. collected. IN
criminal cases In the last twelve
months, have fallen of more than
$40, 900.
While the state has a balance a
more than s55o.0oo. that mount q
] not in the treasury because approxt-
mately $4,000 belongs to various de-
] parfmerts and will be expended ~
4 them for their regular expenses. The
state fiscal year ends September 50.
but the appropriation year for de-
partments vary. some ending In Feb
q ruary and others In July and septem-
. ber- Then. too, many counties have
considerable amounts to their credit
o for road work. the money to be avail
able when they appropriate equal
o sums.
= Mr.. Sale, who strikes the annual
balance every year. without hesitancy
gives credit for the big showing 10
the segregation plan and the co-or-
n erattons of all officials.
The ~soundness Of the new system
= Is 1uity attested by the great show
ling" Mr.. Sale stated yesterday. ~
II regard the statement OF the states
. financial condition as highly gratify-
a ing and as a complete defense OF the
! new segregation law. The targe col
lectfons are as a complete defense OF
q tbs new segregation Law. The large
collections are a great credit 70 Gov
ernor Stuart. Auditor Of Public Ar-
counts Lee Moore. former Auditor
Donohoe. and members of the general
assembly who advocated segregation
. IN face of stronv opposition from peo-
pie who favored the old plan. The
county t~reasurers, examiners OF REC
e ords and commissioners OF reveuue
have practicable all been on the Job
and excellent team work has been ST
@ great benefit to the state"
New Plan Succeeds.
y The segregation plan received tts
first trial last year. but the expendi-
10 lures far exceeded the collections.
This plan released to localities prar-
ticall~ the entire tax on real estate.
The state loses % per cent on realty
and 2h per cent o n intangfbies, which
goes directly to the counties ana
cities. This. however. has nlss
n by the ~uncovering of millions Of dol
IS lars OF taxable property. Each y0ar
the state is getting the added benefIk
of taxes dug UP In the last few years,
One of the most significant features
OF the collection has been the pronnr&s
ness with which the taxes have been:
paid More than rs per cent cf ~
L taxes assessed were paid prior To-
= cernber |. when the s per cant pAnAlkS
a is added.
The auditor OF public accounts IN.
.nually fs required 70 make out i s<At4s
Ia