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F.

Estimate of the receipts for the tenth fiscal year, ending June 30, 1859. G.

Estimate of the expenditures for the tenth fiscal year, ending June 30, 1859.

H.

Amount of Warrants issued from June 30 to December 15, 1858.

I.

Receipts into the Treasury, from July 1 to December 15, 1858, inclusive. J.

Abstract statement of the amount of "stamped paper" sold, the expense of carrying out the provisions of the "Stamp Act," and the net amount of revenue derived therefrom, from June 30, 1857, to December 15, 1858.

The taxable property of the State, for the year 1858, is estimated at nearly one hundred and twenty-four millions of dollars. Only twentyfive counties have yet made returns of assessments for the present year, and the estimate is based upon the returns of last year, from the Counties which have failed to transmit the proper reports to this office.

This amount is nearly two millions of dollars less than the amount of taxable property reported for 1857. While, in a majority of the Counties from which returns have been received, the value of property has increased, in several of the most wealthy Counties there appears a large decrease, and, in the City and County of San Francisco, the assessment has fallen off nearly nine millions of dollars. This decline in the value of property, with the reduction of the State tax to sixty cents on the one hundred dollars, has decreased the amount of taxes due the State to $743,729, which is $37,302 less than the State tax of 1857; and it is certain that an unusually large delinquent-list will still farther diminish the

revenue.

The present financial condition, and the future liabilities of the State, imperatively demand an increase of the tax for the ensuing year, unless the law controlling the distribution of the proceeds of the sales of State and County licenses is changed.

The amended Revenue Law, passed April 17, 1858, by which all the proceeds of the sales of ninth and tenth class merchandise, and third class liquor licenses, are paid into the County Treasuries, has worked a still further diminution of the receipts into the Treasury of the State, as will be seen by an examination of the subjoined statement:

Receipts from sales of liquor licenses, for the six months ending

.$22,171 16

December 31, 1857.... .$33,140 26 Receipts from same, for the six months ending Dec. 31, 1858... 10,969 10 Decrease... Receipts from sales of ninth and tenth class merchandise licenses, for the six months ending December 31, 1857..... .$29,660 52 Receipts from same, for the six months ending Dec. 31, 1858.... 9,419 44 Decrease

.$20,241 08 Total falling-off of receipts from these sources, as compared with the corresponding period of the preceding year........$42,412 24

This amount will certainly be doubled during the next six months, thus swelling the loss of revenue, from these sources, for the tenth fiscal year, to $84,824 48.

It is to be hoped that the law which has operated so disastrously upon the revenues of the State, will be repealed by the coming Legislature, and the distribution of the proceeds of the sales of State and County licenses restored to the ratio under the old law: one-half to the State and Counties, respectively.

In this connection, it will be proper to say, that the Revenue Laws require immediate and thorough revision.

The duties of the various County officers are vaguely defined, and conflicting, and the State suffers great loss by the inefficient manner in which the laws for the collection of the revenue are enforced.

During the last fiscal year the sum of $1,257 71 was recovered from the sureties of C. F. Lynn, a defaulting Treasurer of Trinity County, by my Predecessor (whose zeal and activity, in the enforcement of the Revenue Laws, is to be commended,) and a suit was instituted against the ExTreasurer of Sierra County, and his sureties, for the recovery of $3,750 24, balance due the State, which is still pending. The Treasurer of Mariposa County, as is alleged, was robbed of $7,300 State funds, on board the steamer, immediately after her arrival at the levee, in this city, in the month of July last, and no trace of the money or robbers has been found. The amendment of the law governing the sales of "Swamp and Overflowed Lands," has materially decreased the receipts therefrom, and the enactment of a law similar to the old law, in its general features, would largely increase the sales of these lands.

The short period that has elapsed since my induction into this office, prevents an extended report at this time. There are other important matters, which will receive consideration hereafter.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

A. R. MELONY,

Controller of State.

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