The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-10

u j
s ations would save a alfsna{htop OF.
taxes, says the committee Certain
consolidation OF state agencies, bet
9ter, internal organization OF depart.
naents and institutions, central ppr-
= chasing OF supplies, Improvements
In states financial system, better
operating procedure would save the
state another half million 1t IS hg-
ured. This saving would not come
lin 1922, but would continue Indeh-
nisely in years I'd come. The COM
uaittee is at; work on plans for pro-
ducing new state income, and be-
i ievess that "a million dollars of
state revenue can be produced by
this method.
All OF these points will be COW
cred in Recommendations ITO be
made to the legislature .n January.
SIatenaent o9 Joint Legislative
Committee on Economy and
consohd dation.ea
Reduction OF the state tax levy
Soc i ls22 by at least one.third is to
bethe major proposal of the Joint
sEegislative Committee on Economy
and Consolidation, according to an
announcement following a two day
session of the Committee in Celunn-
: bia last week. The meeting was
attended by Senator Neiis Chris
sensen, chairman; Senators F. A.
iller ana w. Fred Lightsey, and
Representatives E. r. Hughes and
j. 3. AndersoV.. Fhe only member
8 absent was Representative John e.
HarnbEn, who was unavoidably d.
tanned by cases in court.
According to the committees
statement, three different devjres
viii be used to reduce the state,
tax levy. from twelve mills to eight
mills or less The first is to post
pone the construction of practical
II all bnuding operations fos. year.
The second is TO carry on the state
government at smaller cost by
means of better organization and
NnEroved operating procedure. The
&hrd is to- raise part of the states
money by les5es 1on those new es-
Gaping wholly or partially their fsir
share OF the burden. An told, ac-
cording to the committee, the gen.
eral property tax can be reduced
over 50 ,8eo,000 as compared with
1921.
After considerable discussion
the committee came 50 the conclu-
SION that financial conditions in the
state would justly its recommen-
dation to the legislature Of de-
ferrlng practically all building op-
erations by state institutions in
1922. Such action would result in
a reduction of the appropriations
by approximately half a million
dollars The committee realizes
that this means merely the de-
ferring Of expenditures which in
some cases viii have to be made
later. Ia only a few instances,
however, was the committee able
TO learn OF conditions making the
erection of new buildings at once
very desirable and in most cases it
was thought no gr.at hardship
would result from a postponement
OF the building program for one
year. $50.
The principal attention of the
committee was given to the. posi-
biiity of savings through the con-
solidatien of-state agencies. through
-, ~
partments, through the, central
purchasing of supplies, through I'M
prevements ia the states fiscal sys-
TEN, and through better operating
procedure. After carefully consid-
ering conditions as found in each
board. and institution the commit
tee concluded that the appropria-
tioEs for 1922 might be decreased
by another half million in this
: manner. In this case the commit
tee points out the savings will not
be for 1922 only but viii continue
year after year indefinitely. Mem
bars expressed the further opinion
that closer financial control ac-
cording to q plan which Will DC
presented to the legislature may be
expected to prevent any rapid and
unreasonable increase in the cost
Of state government during the
prosperous years which the COM
mittee believes viii in the course OF
zine be experienced again in
SolYt}, Carolina
Additional relief should be given
hard pressed tax payers, the COM
mitfee believes. through changes in
the tax system and the committee is
working on definite proposals to
present TO the legislature. These
proposals will deal both with new
sources of revenue and with means
Of so shifting the tax burden that
it will be more fairly distributed. In
particular the committee expects to
recommend the adoption of plans
to provide for the raising Of at
least a million dollars from those
now. escaping taxation in whole or
in part, with a consequent lessen
ing of the levies on those now car
rying tie whole load.
Before adjourning the commit
tee went over the reports on the
c+eto aoanpiec pnoda ~.