Harry L. Davis 1923 State of the State Address

              Message of Harry L. Davis
Governor of the State of Ohio
To the 85th General Assembly, January 1st, 1923
To the Members of the General Assembly:
In accordance with the provisions of the State Constitution, requiring the Governor to "communicate at every session by message to the General Assembly, the condition of
the state, and recommend such measures as he shall deem
expedient," there is presented a report of the status of the
affairs of the commonwealth, an outline in general terms of
the manner in which that status has developed, and a series
of recommendations which we give from our experience as
urgent in the interest of continued progress and extension
of public benefit in the state governmental system and
activities.
The most conspicuously outstanding point at this time
in a review of the state's condition, and from which the
people of Ohio have cause to draw a good deal of pride and
satisfaction, is the financial aspect. The state is in by far
the most prosperous condition at this beginning of a new
year than it has ever been.
There is at this moment the enormous cash balance of
approximately $19,500,000 accumulated in the state treasury,
representing only the general fund and not including balances of special funds which raise that amount many million
dollars more. In the consideration of this tremendous surplus, several facts are to be remembered:
1. It is from this general fund that all state
operating expenses are paid.
2. Direct taxation bears no part of the state
operating cost and contributes in no way to
this fund.
3. The state in the last quarter of 1920 had
a general fund deficit of $109,588.27.
4. Previously, the condition of the general
fund had violently fluctuated from low marks
reaching almost entire extinction, to an extreme
maximum at one time of $8,403,056.
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