The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-03-27
ARE
HANDLED IN A
BUSINESS WAY
State Treasury in Better
Shape Than For Years.
Says ThOresen

Figures complied by the state tax
commissioners office show that he
state treasury will probably have on
June 30, 1926, Il surplus of $l,lyi,G0l. :.
Part Of this sum probably will be
available as cash although most Of
1t will be purely a paper surplus, the
statement indicated.
On June 3Oth. 1926 there was in
the treasury paper surplus o: ST.
O39,326 representing items OF uncol-
kcted taxes carried on the states
books.
In Il statement describing the CON
dition Of the state finances ana the
saxing situation. Tax Commissioner
I. II. II. Thorescn said:
1.-THE 1925 state board of equuliza-
zion made n reduction in the amount
of tax levics for state purposes Of
1913 .263, and reduction in the gen
cial fund levy of $42l,4lG, as COM
pared with the 1924 lcvics. In spite
Of this reduction in state taxes ii is
safe to say that the state treasury
will be in IA better condition on June
80 this year than it has been for
years.
Based On Experience
cit is the first time in years that
state finances have been handled in
u strictly business manner and not
based upon onjectures and csti-
mlteA The state lcvies were based
upon actual past experience over n
number Of years. In no instance were
any Of the miscellaneous collections
from fees and special taxes ovcresti-
mated as the actual amount collected
tho previous year was taken as the
basis and in all cases the calculation
was conservative rather than an
crestimate.
''rhe total appropriations for the
biennial period Of 925 and 1926 tex
Guiding emergency and deficit lppro-
priations. which were reflected in the
surplus as Of June 30) were S7,l4G,-
5l6.3A. One half Of the biennial APP
preparation must be met during the
current fiscal year which is S3,573,-
25S.l7. The State Board made u gen
eral fund levy OF $2,397 ,533. The
calculated collections from special
taxes, fees, licenses and miscellane-
Gus sources during the fiscal year
are $l,33l,0OO. The general fund
levy, plus the special taxes, fees
and licenses, amounts to $3,72S, ,533
pliation which must be met.
'In making the 1926 general fund
levy the board took into c0nsidera-
tion the general fund surplus as OF
July |, 1925; the miscellaneous col.
lcctions from special state taxes
fees and licenses; and that portion
OF the 1925 general fund levy which
it was estimated would be collected
h1 ns, In
there was II paper surplus OF ) Si,O39,
326. This was Il paper surplus. how
ever, made up Of delinquent taxes
No bills can be paid with paper sur
piuses. On the basis Of the levie:
80, 1928 Of $l,19l,6Ol.
How Lcvics We're made
"ln 1922 the state board Of cquali
zatlon based the levy OH an estimate
that IS per cent Of amount levict
would be collected within the fisca
year. Actual collections were onl!
47.4 per cent and the state had II
borrow and pay interest on $566,23O
In 1923 the board figured that 6S.
per cent of the amount levied woult
be collected. Collections were onl!
47.3 per CEN: and the state had t.
borrow $53O,972 to take care of it,
! needs. In 1924 the State Board csti
| mated that 6l.S per cent would b'
:; collected. Actual collections wer
only 55 per cent and the state ha'
to borrow $24O,276 upon WHICH
| paid interest. In addition to this tn
state had to borrow 1900 in 1872
| due to the fact that there was NJ
cash surplus in the treasury from tn
1924 tax levy. In 1926 the stat
board based its levy on the averag
experience Of the past three years
/ The levy was based on the estimat
/ that so per cent of the amount levie
would be collected during the fisca
year. The general fund levy i'm 1872
! is the only levy made during the pas
| four years which was actually base
on pas. experience as to collections
and the only levy in the past thre
years which was not based upon owe
estimation Of miscellaneous collet
tions.
/ Unnecessary surpluses are Great
ed at the expense of the taxpaye
The average taxpayer can make BET
ter use Of his money in his ow
business than creating an unneces
sary surplus in the state treasur.
The minority faction Of the stat
board Of equalization attempted
have the 1925 general fund tax lev
fixed at an amount 100000 in exces
3 Of the amount levied. Was such al
temp based on their interest in til
taxpayer or merely for the purpOs
of creating Il political issue that tax,
had been incressed?'
! RORBING NO CRIME