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6. Fees collected by state officers. Fees are collected by the secretary of state, the surveyor-general, the clerks of the higher state courts, the controller, the superintendent of state banks, the building and loan commissioner, the insurance commissioner, and others.

7. Fees for licenses, such as automobile, fishing, and hunting licenses.

8. Receipts from state institutions. The largest amount from this source is derived from the sale of the products from the jute mill at the San Quentin state prison. Smaller amounts are received from the state prison at Folsom, the various state hospitals, the reform schools, the veterans' home, the home for the blind, and other institutions. None of these institutions are self-supporting. The money received from them is turned into the treasury, but larger amounts must be taken from the treasury for their support.

9. Receipts from state property and investments. The ferry building in San Francisco belongs to the state, and the harbor commissioners collect rents from corporations and individuals who occupy the building. The state also receives considerable amounts as interest on state money deposited in banks. The money received from the sale of the state school lands is invested in bonds of various kinds, and the interest from these investments is annually added to the state school fund (§§ 137, 190).

10. Miscellaneous sources. The state receives small amounts from various miscellaneous sources. One of these is from the sale of furniture, lumber, machinery, or other unnecessary material which the various state officers and boards may have on hand. Other sources are the amount paid by each county into the state treasury to aid in meeting the expenses of children from the county in the state reform schools and the state home for feeble-minded children; the amount received each year from the sale of escheated estates,

that is, estates of deceased persons who have no heirs; the yearly payment made to the state by the United States government, of 25 per cent of the receipts from the national forests in the state. This money is distributed by the state to the various counties on the basis of the area of each county embraced in each national reserve from which the money is collected.

In case these sources of revenue fail to meet the expenses of the state government, a tax may be imposed on all taxable property in the state, "in the manner to be provided by law" (article XIII, sec. 14, e, of the constitution). The state may borrow money in accordance with article XVI of the constitution.

131. Summary of State Revenues. In order to present to the eye the relative importance of these various sources of income, the amount received from each source during the fiscal year from July 1, 1911, to June 30, 1912, is indicated below.

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Fishing

Hunting

$17,955.00

145,595.04

8. From State Institutions:

San Quentin Prison

Folsom Prison .

State Hospitals

State Normal Schools

State Polytechnic School

Veterans' Home

Reform Schools

Home for the Adult Blind

9. From State Property and Investments:

Rent from Ferry Building, Wharves, etc., S. F.

Interest on State Deposits.

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Interest on School Bonds

Interest on University Bonds.

Interest from School Lands

49,845.00 56,126.17

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From Counties to aid in Support of Children in Reform

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Many items of income are not included in this summary. The total receipts for the year amounted to $21,445,956.99. Of this amount $2,005,040.89 was derived from the sale of state bonds for the benefit of the San Francisco water front, and the state highway fund; and $1,270,297.01 was collected as a tax for the support of the Panama-Pacific Exposition.

132. The State Board of Equalization.2 - The state board of equalization consists of the state controller and four other members elected each for four years at the general

1 Since 1913 textbooks have been distributed free of charge.

2 See state constitution, article XIII, section 9; also Statutes of 1911, page 530.

state election. One member is elected by each of the four equalization districts into which the state is divided. The office of the board is in Sacramento. Its most important duties are as follows:

1. To determine the amount of tax due the state from corporations according to the provisions of section 14, article XIII of the constitution. This must be done each year "between the first Monday in March, and the third Monday before the first of July."

Blank forms are sent to all corporations mentioned in subdivision (a) of the section referred to, on which reports must be made to the board not later than the first Monday in March. The most important items included in each report are as follows: the name of the corporation, the amount of its capital stock, its debts, the market value of its stocks and bonds, its gross receipts during the year, its operating expenses, the improvements made, and the dividends paid during the year.

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Appropriate blank forms are sent to all the banks to obtain from them reports as to their capital stock, profits, dividends, and other items. Similar reports are collected from insurance companies by the state insurance commissioner, who embodies the information thus obtained in a report to the state board of equalization. Owners of taxable franchises 1 must report to the board on blanks furnished by the board complete information as to the nature and value of each franchise, as well as the capital stock, debts, gross receipts, dividends, etc., of the corporation using each franchise. The secretary of state must report to the board the name, place of business, capitalization, and other specified items, of every corporation whose articles of incorporation are on file in his office; and city and county assessors must report in detail the assessments which they have placed on real estate belonging to banks and insurance companies. From these various reports, and from any additional information it may collect, the board determines the amount that each corporation must pay.

1 Banks, insurance companies, and corporations that pay taxes on their gross receipts pay no additional franchise tax.

2. The board must issue instructions to city and county assessors to assist them in determining what property belonging to the corporations mentioned in subdivision (a) of section 14, article XIII, of the constitution, is "operative property." As these corporations are excused from local taxes on their "operative property," — that is, the property used in operating their business, it is to their advantage to have as much of their property as possible classed under this head. The board must settle all disputes that arise between corporations and local assessors respecting this matter.

The board must place an arbitrary assessment on any corporation which fails to file the report above mentioned; but the law permits the board to extend the time for filing the report in any case, not to exceed thirty days, when good cause is shown.

On the third Monday before the first Monday in July, the board must publish in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles a statement to the effect that the " assessment of property for state purposes is completed." Any corporation which is dissatisfied with the assessment may complain to the board and the board has power to alter the assessment, but this must be done on or before the first Monday in July.

The board must keep an accurate record of all assessments which it imposes. On the first Monday in July each year, its secretary must deliver to the state controller a complete record of all assessments made for the year.

When necessary, the board, or any of its members, its secretary, or any representative selected for the purpose, may visit any part of the state to collect information to assist in justly assessing and levying the taxes. The board also has power to summon public officers, private citizens, or the officers of corporations, to appear before it as witnesses and to produce any books or records that may be desired. The board may at any time examine the books and accounts of any corporation required by law to report to it; but the law makes it a misdemeanor for any member or representative of the board to divulge

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