Year: 1872

Specidl ACls, applying W lhls CouuVy oiiiJ
In accordance with this resolution, two
petitions, briefly stating the legislation
asked for, were drawn up by the Clerk,
signed by the Supervisors present, and
the Clerk ordered to transmit them to
our Representatives at Sacramento.


One Bill is asked for relating to the
Road Tax. The Supervisors recommend
that the property tax levied for road pur-
poses be placed in one indivisible fund,
for bridge purposes, to be known as the
Bridge Fund and to be wholly under the
supervision of the Supervisors.


As the law now is, the Supervisors
cannot levy more than sixty cents on each
one hundred dollars, for the General
Fund Of the county. They desire that it
be placed at their discretion TO levy tax
not exceeding one hundred cents on each
one hundred dollars, for General Fund
purposes. This is the second enactment
requested.


1t cannot be questioned that the finances
Of this county require legislation Of some
sort. The first measure proposed is not
one imperatively required, but will mate
rally better matters as they now stand.
The road tax collected in each road dis
trict is apportioned to the different districts
and in most Of them is very little. A
district with a very small fund may need
an expensive bridge. There are no funds
to build it. Supposing the bridge to be
built, there are no funds to replace it


when it becomes unsafe through age and


long usage. There have been two in


stances within the last two years where


bridges became unsafe through age and


the funds of the districts would not JUS


tify the Road Overseers in replacing


them. In both cases referred to, team
sters broke through, sustaining damages


which were paid by the county. The
amount paid so far is not large in the ag
gregate, but the county might not escape
SO well in the future. The Supervisors
ought to be empowered TO levy tax for
bridge purposes, 70 be expended only in
keeping the bridges on the public high
ways in good repair, thereby saving the
county harmless from all damages conse-
quent from there breaking down. 1t is
not proposed TO increase taxation in any


form for this purpose. The Legislature
is asked to change the existing property
road tax into Il general fund for bridge
purposes, to be expended only by direction
of the Supervisors.


The second petition preferred is Of more
general interest, for the reason that it
looks to an increase Of taxation. For
number Of years the tax for most of the
Funds constituting the County Treasury
has been as much as the law would per
NIT. Thus, the General Fund property
tax being limited to sixty cents, and the
Redemption Fund to fifty cents, that
amount has been levied for the last ten
years. AS we understand it, the power
TO levy Il greater tax is deemed necessary
in order to provide for the payment Of the
existing county debt. The county is
heavily in debt compared to its popua-
ton and the assessed value of its property.
The county revenue is derived from taxes
and an increase Of Indebtedness or de-
crease Of taxable property nccessitates
increased taxation. There is no way for
the county to meet its obligations save by
levying taxes. Tho county Indebtedness
consists Of warrants drawn on the Gen
eral and Hospital Funds which have not
been paid because there was nothing to
pay them with. Warrants on the Gen
eral Fund, prior TO the first Monday in
March, 1868, draw ten per cent. per an
mum interest. Warrants drawn on the
General Fund since then, and warrants
on the Hospital Fund, bear no interest.
Both Funds are several years behind and
new scrip, particularly that issued on the
General Fund since 1868, considerably
below par. The increasing of the tax
levied for the General Fund would espe-
cially benefit the holders Of old scrip. An
addition of thousand or fifteen hundred
dollars yearly to the General Fund will
not materially affect the value of scrip
not bearing interest for several years. 1t
is desirable to place the county finances
as nearly on a cash basis as possible, and
as soon rs is practicable. Without con-
siderable increase in the amount of tax
able property, this cannot be done with
the present rate of taxation and the pres
ent mode of payment. In our Judgment,
the only way the liabilities of the county
will ever be paid will be through the Re
demption Fund or by funding the debt.
Since its creation, the Redemption Fund
has accomplished n great deal. Many
thousands of the county debt have been
paid by it. The money in the General
Fund goes to pay tho debt in full that
in the Redemption Fund buys warrants
ut discount and therefore is gain to
the county. We are not prepared to say
how it would operate to fund the debt,
not being familiar with the subject. If
additional taxes are to be raised to meet
the demands against the county, let there
be n portion at least appropriated to the
Redemption Fund, and the more the
better. 1t is this fund that absorbs the
new scrip and gives it value. Without it
new scrip at this time would be little
better than blank paper. With large
Redemption Fund the county can get out
OF debt. Without it, unless the taxable
property of the county increases largely,
we must choose between extremely oner-
Gus taxation and reputation. Nothing
but high taxes will ever pay the interest
and principal of our debt with our nraeont