Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1923-12-21
TELLS ABOUT STATE
FINANCES IN TALK
Treasurer Gilpatrie Enlightens
Mems Club on Revenue
and Expenses


At the Mems Club meeting held at
the Second Congregational church
last Sunday. State Treasurer g.
Harold Gilpatrie was the speaker
On his subject, Problems Of State
;.,,-,s,,.s, ;, IL Climatic ,sa,,o ,,ssy.
esting accounts Of some Of the diff
.eulties Of his position.
In telling where the income Of the
state comes from. Mr.. Gilpatrie gave
some interesting figures. Money
comes in from a wide variety Of
sources. The largest single income Is
the motor vehicle department, which
turns over TO the treasurer over s4.-
600, 900 each year from license fees.
From the steam railroad lines which
operate In Connecticut an annual tax
total Of nearly two million dollars is
paid to the state. and the trolley COM
panies last year paid alone towards a
million dollars. part of which was for
back taxes which the companies were
unable to pay in the lean years a
short time ago-
From the state tax on the towns.
and the fees levied against state
banks and trust companies. large sums
are also derived. Tho taxes on the
earnings Of both eorporated anu unin-
eorporated businesses annually yields
a large sum.
Gas" Tax Boosts Revenue
His audience expressed surprise at
the large amount which the state real
ICES from the cent a gallon tax on
gasoline. Connecticut was one of the
first states to try out this method Of
raising money. and Mr. Gilpatric says
that il has been found very successful
here, and that, thanks TO the coopera-
ton of the large gasoline companies
which distribute their products 10 the
stations throughout the state. il is
easily collected BY this method
s765, 900 was derived last year from
the gasoline tax. meaning that over
sevsnty-fve million gallons of gaso-
line were turned into exhaust smoke.
Mr.. Gilpatric spoke on the work
done in the penal institutions Of the
state. At one of the reformatories.
that at Cheshire, all the license plates
are made for the state. Other re-
formatories. and the state prison at
Wethersfiela, have other Industries,
to which the prisoners devote their
time. and realize considerable money
for the state. Although the expenses
OF the prisons and other institutions
far exceed the revenue coming from
the industry Of the prisoners, never
theless. this money goes a long ways
toward defraying the costs Of the
prisons. and furthermore teaches the
prisoners trade. which many of
them work at successfully after their
release.
Highways Cost Most
Regarding the expenses Of running
the state, the treasurer said that the
| largest expense entailed was for high
way repairs and building. Nearly six
million dollars was spent last year
by the highway department. But
this department makes such good use
Of its money that Connecticut is
recognized among al least near by
states as having an excellent highway
system. Two and half million
dollars more go each year for edu-
cation.
In his closing assertion, Mr.. Gil
patric said that Connecticut was a
state that lived we'll within its means.
! Last year, while the receipts of the
state totalled s22 900. 900, a million
dollars less than this amount was
spent