The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-02-06
REPORT OF CONTROLLER
INDICATES STATE GROWTH

The advance sheets OF the 1919 ~
port OF State Controller oeoreo A Cola
show that the financial aRairs q The
state OF Nevada have more than Heu-
bled In the last nvs years. the rscsipts
for 1919 being e2.l74.iss.al. a. asainse
sssl.bss.o2 In 1914: and dlsburssmenta
S2.lsa.sossi. a. compared with ol.ila.
sis.7s OF nve years ago. Moreover. ths
cash balance has increased from Saa7..
$3.50 to e7ss.s41.ss.
An increase Of assessed valustioa
from si3s.so6.0ls.ss to Siss, ,ell. .oog.sS
during the nve-ysar period accounts
for much OF the difsrsncs: but new
state governmental activities, notably
the new state highway system. account
for great share Of the constantly en-
larging volume Of money handed b.
the state ofacials. The proceoas oe
mines returns. on which taxes were
collected. III con es.3ss.esl from 1919.
This was due somewhat probably b
unsatisfactory labor conditions, but
principally to an srratic copper mar-
ket. This loss Of valuations was more
than made up by IN increase a real
and personal property valuati,ns cf
$Ss37.s0o. 20 that the total tax ron -
slightly larger than . year ago.
The disbursements Of o3.1e1,Sas.el
were were the largest In the stats's
history. but ~ some share Of this went
into permanent improvements. such ~
state buildings and roads and bond In
vestmsnts. the states surplus was In
creased to the amount ofollS.713.s7.
The surplus has been increased sinoo
1915 to the extent Of sl.s44.sls.s3 snA
now stands at @S.S1S. S.36S.SS over snA
above all state indebtedness.
The largest disbursement Of any
branch Of the state govsrnmsnt = oe
the highway department ana amounss
to ssso.oos.2s. This. however. inelules
distribution Of . portion Of state tax
receipts to several counties not - tho
state highway system: ana ~ the e.
partment handled In its fund federal
and county monies, etc. to the extent
of e1ss. s.sos.ss. Its cost 20 the state was
$Ss3,201.40. The controller - car.
ried 80 per cent Of this sum, q . prop
erty asset, to the surplus account, 0g-
uring that this 10 modest valus 70
set on the highway work already 80
complishsd.
The actual running expenses oe the
state for the year 1919 are shown u
the table Of Income and Dxpsnsssr q
be $1.2ss.615.S5, Of which es17.sSl.17, Or
II per cent. was devoted to sducational
purposes; e1s7.0s7.71. or Is per cent. 70
charitable ana penal institutisas; ela2.
Ses.ss. or ~ per cent. to salariea, ana
$s7.o7s.0S. or s Is per cent. 70 commits
sions ana boardA Ths balaace .wesH
, for various purposes as shown ~ ~
tables.
The state assets are shown ~ %,
184.655.1l being cash 1sll, ,7Se01.
ibonds s2,772.1s2.S1 and state propArty
$2,5s7.75611. Against these are Ma
bilities Of S7s5.3ss.ss, consisting Of
bonded indebtedness Of o71s.seo anl
outstanding warrants Of 17s, s,SsG.G3.
No part Of the Increasing hlgh cost
Of living can be charged to cost Of
state government, apparently. The
per capita cost II S1o.47 In 1919. q
compared with $3.50 in 1918 and >s.7e
In 1915. The cost per 500 Of valua-
tion decreased from 81 1-3 cents In 1915
! tion has decreased from 81 is cents IN
1915 to SO Is cents In 1919. These fg-
ures compare more than favorably
, with other states.
Although the last Legislature au-
, thorized number Of new bond iasuea
! including one for s1.o00.000 for state
highways. no increase Of bonded In
: debtedness Is noted. In fact. there h
: decrease of $15,600 In these items. II
is probable that the state educational
!. funds will be able to take up nearly al
!, Of the new bonds that will be ISSUED
. during 1920 for the new state build.
! ings and highways. There are present
/. cash balances Of about 100000 In these
: funds.
:, 1t is gratifying to know that tht
= state does net owe dollar outside III
q borders. All its bonds are hsld BY Il,
: school funds. drawing interest for tn,
: cause of education and payable iron
y its own citizens. No other state cal
= say this; and when It is recalled tina
!. the state has per capita valuation d
: 1000 and $50 per capita surplus II
money, bonds and state property. n
!. one may deny Nevadan the right L
j, be proud Of his state. observes the Car
!. son City Appeal