18
GOVERNOR'S MESSAGES.
fifth Legislature
something over $5,
known to your Chief Executive, I
000,000. This will be expended very suggest that the law be changed so
likely by August 31, 1919, 11 several as to make the fiscal year corresbtildings
are undet constrtction and pond with the calendar year.
the various departments of the GOvoBnment
must be maintained. Your State Tax Commiissioner.
attefttOn is called to the fact that in
the esitiates imde by the various de
The value of property in the State,
artmeftts and institutions for funds according to/ the report of the State
ftecessaty for the next two years, no Tax Commissioner, assessed for taxaprovision
is iyade for the mainte
tion for 1917-18 was $2,871,744,269,
inane of the Judiciary, which costs on which there wa levied an ad vaapjroXimately
$1,200,000 per year, lorem tax for geheral revenue purftor
is an estimate made for miscel
poses of 35 cents, a State school tax
laieous appropriations whieh may be of 20 cents abd a State Pension tax of
made by the Legislature. The Thir
6 ceats on the $100 valuation.
ty-fifth Legislature made miscella
The assessment of intangible valneous
appropriations in the amount ues of all moneys, credits, stocks,
of $So,00,000 per year, a total of bonds, notes, etc., for the year,
$10o,400,00. If yOU should author
amounted to $176,601,698. This
ise the entire appropriations re
embraces all intangible property exqestted
bY the isttitutions and de
cept the intangible property valuapartments,
viz., $20,360,810, and tion o railay, bridge an ferry
should provide the additional sam of companies.
bout ,400,000 r te j y The total physical Valultion of rail.about
$2,400,000 for the judiciary, way, bridge anfd ferry eolMpanies
making a total of $2i,760,810, there amouyted to $331,311,761, nd the
wrul~d be only $5,000,000 available total intangible property valuation of
for all other purposes for the two these railways bridge and ferry eomla
at^r at the ihaxiSium tax rate pro
panies was $150,68g906, making
vided in the Constitution. By as their t utb value $481,676,667.
much as these estimates'it r teduced The intangible property valuation
in your appropi'atiot bills will the of thee nitiety rlalway, tdw bridge
ftids be available for other legisla
and one ferry otnopay Was duily fpb
tive objects such aS education, build
portioned and certified to the proper
titg, bte., iand State Tfit eommis5ioner, provides
cent years and .it tn judgimet you that the board shall retort to the
an pbrt6fi no more behteoctal serv
Legislature at each Regular SeFsibft
I0 thlh to tFeduce the expenditures thereof the whole aimount of State
tO th lowest poxlstble level the pub
revehue collteted in this btate f0t
lic service will permit. all purposes, the source thereof, etc.
Your attention is directed to the Certainly the consideration of this
fact that the fidcal yeat of the state subject is a matter which should
of Texas is from August i1st to Au
ub the inid of emery public ffigust
81st, whertas the taices levied te d oal d ees e yia publoi chargd
ior the support of the State gov
lith the tahkihg of tlas.
ernment are for the calendar year,
January 1 to January 1. It is almost Comptroller'Si Betpartnient.
impossible to reconcile this qdiscrepancy,
in computing the needs in rev
By reference to the annual report
enue for any particular year. Most of the Comptroller, you will notitc
of the taxes are paid in the month several sgWgestions proposing amendof
January, whereas at that time the ments to the tax laws of the State. I
State iIs t6u months advanced in its commend thes suggeStitOs to the
fiscal year, possibly suffterig a deficit Legislature as deserving the highest
fi the first month Or two of the year. consideration ahd to the end that all
I can Eee no important reason why business interests in the State pay
tZis ihotild etontlIftu to be the law, 'thilt jtbt Share ot the extpeises of
id unleflss there is sBmte trasit uin
goierntfib-t, in ordef that the burden
