The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-08-29
half MILLION u.s..
TURNED INTO the
STATE TREASURY
Million Now in Fund.-
Tax Clerk Issues Statement,

The state auditors office today
turned Into the general revenue fund OF
the state $SSO,OO0, which has been held
In the state depository. This is a total
Of $4,000. which has been turned into
the general revenue fund since August
y by the auditor and brings the
amount in the revenue fund to $500,
1000.
Statement Issued.
Rssenting stories in the Times, which
called attention to the large amount of
money that had not been divided i. the
different funds and remained III the de-
p%ository TO the auditors credit, Thomas
J.ONclll jr, has prepared a state
mont. This statement was prepared
before the change Of money was made
today. 1t follows:
an your late edition If Friday you
published what p%urported to be an in
terview or statements OF state officers
and employees in regard to state IL
nances and the inference was intended
to be left, apparently, that the state
auditor was p%urposely withholding
funds from the state treasury that
should be paid into the general rev.
cnucs.
1T was intimated that this sum was
In excess OF 100000. Since my name
was used as an employe OF the state
auditors office as an authority for
some Of the statements made in the
article | think il but justice to this de-
partment that tho following statement
OF the public funds collected and hand
led by the department should be given
to the public.
Deposited Daily.
Under the depository law the re-
ccipts OF the auditors department arc
deposited daily with the STATE treasury,
and under the state law every depart
mcnt transfers to the state treasury the
sums due from that department once
each month. This law has been regu-
larry followed by this department up to
and including the general apportion-
ment in May this year. Since that
time, by REASON OF an extra effort made
to collect the income tax which became
delinquent on July |, a part Of the Of
flee force Of the auditors department
was detailed for field work to- secure
reports and make these collections.
This put the office work in arrears,
and as the money received was already
in the state depository drawing interest,
and was transferred to the general
revenue on request at any time desired,
it is plainly evident that there could
have been no purpose or intention OF
the part OF the auditors department to
withhold funds due the state treasury.
The sums in the auditors depository
fund have always been held available
instantly for transfer to the general
revenue, and are still'so held. This
practice has been followed since the
adoption OF the law.
Production Tax Largest.
"The major part of the receipts in the
auditors office comes from the gross
production tax of ) percent. This is
collected quarterly and one-third of II
goes back 10 the counties from which
it is derived. The production IA due
on July |, became delinquent on Au
gust |, and the bulk OF il was not paid
until tina, date or later.
"On that date the clerical force il
overwhelmed with the rush OF receipts
and frequently many items have to be
returned to the scnders for correction.
Every day the checks and drafts re-
ceived from this and all other sources.
are deposited in the state depository,
..,I .,a, I.II.. tt,t "a .YttaLl. (or
the depository fund is withheld.
"a great many people know, but a
large number do not, that certain
moneys paid into the auditors office on
gross production are paid in under pro-
test This money is to be held by the
auditor in escrow until certain contcn-
tons OF the payers arg settled by the
court OF last resort. These funds are
not convertible into the general rev.
enuc and may have TO he returned to
the parties from whom they were col
lected.
Fund on Interest.
These collections. however, are pail
into the state depository and draw in
%terest. This sum on August |, this
year, amounted to 500, 5l9.S. Not all
} oi this sum is tied up permanently by
the suits now pending, and from time
to time portions Of these funds are re.
leased by the failure of parties to APP
peal within the period fixed by law.
The ordinary receipts in this office
in June and July are light compared
with other months in which gross pro-
ductlon and income taxes are regularly
payable, hut during June there was
transferred to the general Sevenue the
sum OF 10000 and in July $4,000.
Thus Tar in August there has been
transferred from the depository to the
credit OF the general revenue &S0,00O
from the collection of both gross pro-
ductlon and income, which were re.
ceived IN the proportion OF 100000
gro" production and $4,000 income
tax.
There is deposited as 81 Angus, |,
l9l7, IN the state depository TO the
credit OF the state auditor the sum OF
81 Nd2l7lS, OF which 500, 5loT was
held under protest leaving a balance
OF sSlA0276l.
"Ot this Sum Their, is due the various
counties from which il was derived
Slbl, 59A,l7 leaving a balance available
Tor the general revenue funds OF $40,
6lj44
During the month there has been
transferred Ut this amount the sum oi