The Bismarck tribune., 1919-04-03
NORTH DAKOTA
OWES ! |! $4,000;
$9,36||9 ON HAND A
State Auditor Kositzky Fears
Some 'n Officials Must Go
Without Salaries
ASSEMBLY, Al ! NJ j, ] MADE n DE BIG DEM DEN,
Set Aside ALMOST Half Million in
Emergency Appropriations
How Money Went
ASSEMBLY MADE BIG DEM

With $15O,OOO in unpaid bills, on
file, and with but $9,369.73 in the
state treasury's general fund on April
/, State Auditor Carl Kositzky, stung
to action by criticism of his opponents
within the league who have, it is al
legged, spread the report that he is
holding up certain bills through
"spite," today made public a report
which would indicate that North Da-
kota is trifle worse than bankrupt.
u How the Moneys Went
April 1, 1916, the last year of the
Hanna administration. North Dakota,
after paying all its bills, had a $522,:.
090.43 balance in its general fund.
April 1, 1917, when the ToWnley re-
gi1ne had been IN the saddle only three
months, The balance in the general
fund, after all bills were paid, was
i$43l, ,282:82
April /, 1918, the second year Of the
Townley administration, North Da-
kota had all Of its bills paid and $242, !
877.79 in It's general fund. y
April l, 1919, in the third year Of
the Townley era, North Dakota owed
$150,O00 in current Indebtedness, and
it had a balance in its general fund of
$9,369.73. ~
" The official payroll is $38, 900 per
month. Salaries have been paid up to
April 4, but the state auditor ex-
presses the fear that officials and en-
ployes may be forced to eschew their
semi-monthly pay checks for some
months to come.
North Dakota has $463,000 out
standing in bonds, some Of which fall
due this year. r.
>$7O0,0O0 Was Overdue
For nearly four months 100000 in
bills charged against various state in
stitutions remained unpaid.
State institutions, says the auditor,
are still, according to the statement of
Secretary Leissman Of the board of
regents, paying $500 interest monthly
on loans negotiated with local banks
to produce funds to pay their current
expenses H 3& W t$ ~
The last legislative assembly in
emergency apprc cpriations called for
about a half-m.iiiy II which must come
from the general fund. Some of these
funds already have been drawn
against, but there is much more that
must be set aside. lst
4 Most of Tax Is Paid
"A majority Of the tax levied for
1913 already has been paid into the
state treasury and appropriated, de-
clares Mr. Kositzky. He states that
there remains a considerable amount
due from The counties, and that there
will also be some miscellaneous col
lections' in June and July and some
revenue from the new oil tax, which
became effective March /, but he sees
no hope Of reallyscatching up with the
states fast mounting tide Of expendi-
lures until the 1919 tax levy begins
to come in next December.
"The greater portion Of our taxes
are paid in February" said Mr., Ko-
sitzky today. ss'This tax has been tax
en- in and applied on past due: bills,
100000 of which had been running
for almost four months. We will get
some delinquent taxes from now on;
there will be some revenue from fees
and fines, it is difficult to estimate
how much. cannot see, however,
where we are going to get enough
IuOIlcy W pay StaAdI lCS aAlu wi tCA. VI
penses, and one or the other will have
to wait. .
Forced to Defend Self
II would not have made this state
ment," !" continued the state auditor,
"if it had not come to my ears that
paid workers Of the league are spread
ing the report over the state that l
am holding up certain bills simply
through spite, I,have never, operated
this office on spite basis, and don't
intend to begin now. The bills are
being paid just as rapidly as we can
find money to pay them, and they are
being paid inI their proper turn. No
body is being favored and no one is
being Disseminated against. | feel
that in justice to myself the people
should have the truth.
1--WE have gone on creating new