Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1917-01-04
GOVERNOR !
HANNA'S LAST
MESSAGE
Reviews Administration and
Urges Election Changes.
Bismarck, Jan. 3, 1917.

Bismarck, Jan. s, 1917.
In introducing his message to the
Legislature, retiring Governor Han
ma explained that the constitution of
the state provides that the governor
shall communicate to the legislative
assembly by message recommends
tions and information upon such
subjects as he shall deem of interest
to the legislature, and that in con-
formity to the custom of both the re-
tiring and incoming governors de-
livering messages, he wished to call
to the attention of the legislature
certain important information.
| In explaining the financial condi-
tion Of the state, Governor Hanna
stated that on July /, 1915 the State
Treasury showed credit balance Of
$346,688.26 and that carefully
prepared, detailed statement of the
state auditor showed that during the
year there would be due for fixed
and unpaid appropriations the aggre-
gate sum of $2,133,56S.16. Deduct
ing from this the amount on hand
and the various amounts which
would come in from miscellaneous
fees, it was necessary for the state
board of equalization to raise by d.
rect taxation the sum Of $1.0S1.54S.-
l42.
The board found that It could
lower the assessed valuation OF all
the property by about thirty million
of dollars and still have enough
money from the direct taxR TO
meet the expenses of the state. Az
ter this reduction was made, 1t left
the assessed valuation Of the a1E
property &354,596,0s7.00. Under
the state constitution it is possible
for the state to levy saxfs nqtS
more than four mills for 1Es;s
lar opthe assessed valuation sRaEa
property stor the general Ifspd
Legislature of 1913 had salrpady letsS
led tax of one-eight q 2 mill for
a terminal elevator SO that left the
general fund tax three and seven
eighths mills.
This would bring to the general.
fund the sum of $1,340,O00.o0 or
l$26O,O00.O0 more than the amount
required to carry forward the busi-
ness of the state for the period
which the 1916 board provides funds
for. Instead of not providing
enough funds, the governor declared
that the board would have been en-
tirely justified in reducing the as
sessed valuation of all property more
than thirty million. of dollars as
was done.
/ The governor asserted that no
appropriations made by the present
Legislature should be made payable
out Of the current funds because
these were for the payment OF the
appropriations made by the 1915
between the time Of
July /, 1915 and June 80, 1917.
Because Of the light crop which
had been raised, the board of equal
ization thot that it would be expedi-
ent to make the burden of state
taxes as light as possible, and hence
did not levy the usual tax for tla
State Bond Sinking fund and for the
State Bond Interest fund.
In concluding his explanation OF
the finances Of the state Gov. Hanna
asserted that four years ago there
was deficit of 100000, and that
this had all been paid.
The bonded debt four years ago
was $937,3OO.O0 and today is only
$462,0OO.OO. He advised that ii the
financial condition Of the state war
ranted It that it would be we'll to
continue levying each year for the
next four or five years money for
the bond sinking fund to pay of this
debt.
Recommended Budget Committee.
1.-TWO years ago., said the COVER
nor, II had the honor to recommend
the formation of q. budget commit
tee." His experience as : member
fof both the Senate and the House
and Of the last four years % COVER
Jnor has convinced Governor Hanna.
that the budget committee is & long
tstep IN the directien
lIntroduoed Terminal 1Elevatoe MN.
Governor Hanna asserted that He
introduced the hrst bill on thessuh-
jeet OF : terminal elevator ~ Ise1:f
ITAb bill sprovided i for tho appsi