The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-03-07
TWELVE MILL LEVY
FOR COMING YEAR
GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES
APPROPRIATION BILL CARRY
ING TOTAL ALLOTMENT OF
SIX AND HALF MILLION DOL
LARS. REPORT OF FREE CON-
FERENCE COMMITTEE QUICK
LY ADOPTED

LY ADOPTED
Carrying a total appropriation fol-
state purposes of $6,534,s25.s2, and
a levy of IL mills was brought from
free conference yesterday morning
adopted, ratified, signed: by. the gov
ernor and became law, all within
few moments after the measure had
been reingrossed.
The free conference committee,
composed of Representatives Sapp,
Leopard and Hughes and Senators
Christensen, Watkins and John
stone reached an agreement near
4 o'clock, but the typewriting Of the
report and the engrossing of the bill
with the incident details kept the
measure from the two houses until
1855 o'clock. At 8. o'clock both
houses adopted the free conference
report and the bill was Immediately
ratified and sent to the governor for
his signature.
A levy of II 1-2 mills is contained
in the bill for general state purposes
and the additional half mill for the
greater Citadel, bringing the total
levy to IL mills, the same as in 1920
excluding the two mill highway tax.
The act says that not more than II
1-2 mills shall be levied for general
purposes.
The free conference committee
reduced the bill to below the origi-
nal house figure and materially cut
off the senate amendments. The
house bill provided for an appropri-,
alton of $6,563,061.71 and the SEN
ate increased this to $6,734,361.02.
BY these figures it is seen that the
masure was cut by $2S,145.s9 from
the original house bill and also indi-
eating that the fight of the reduc-
honists was not in vain, despite the
fact that they themselves thought
so.
AS finally ratified the measure
provides for the raising of $685.
664 by the II - mill levy and ST.
052,545 by special revenue. Senator
Christensen explained yesterday
morning that the reason the levy is
II 1-2 mills in spite of the fact that
the ways and means committee pro-
vided for a II mill levy in the house
bill was that sufficient. millage for
the total appropriated. The. house
bill was that the house measure did
not carry a sufficient millage for
also anticipated the passage of the
gasoline and Inheritance tax mea-
sures, both of which were continued
until the next session.
Increase Over 1920
The bill is an increase Of $447,-
7S4.43 over 1920, but carries exact
ly the same levy, excluding the two
mill highway tax. This is made pos
sible by approximately $50,00o,000
additional taxable property being
placed on the tax books of the state
during the past year.
In anticipation Of the taxes to be
collected the measures provide that
the state financial board, composed
of the governor, the comptroller
general and the state treasurer,
may borrow money to run the state
government, and also the Citadel ap-
preparation of one-haf mill, not to
exceed s5,O50,O00 and not to pay
above the legal rate Of interest.
The two mill highway tax is sus-
pended for the year as was originally
provided for by the ways and means
.committee, but the senate amend
ment giving counties having bond
issues the privilege to retain the two
mill tax was adopted.
In the legislative department $100
extra for the engrossing clerks was
provided because of the extra work
and the pages were all increased
from $125 to 5000 and all the labor