The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-08

A'-O-se1"'oO -1AS@sOSO'SN O'cocbO-'-oo
1911-12.. 376.576-N 4.SOO,OOoOO 4.676. q
Totals Sc. s52s6 s1o42s.OOooo 1864, s52 Sc
The first two tables show that our cur
rent expenditures during the year last
past lending Sept. 80, 1912 exceeded
our current receipts by nearly $1S7, 600
In each of the nine preceding years
the current expenditures were kept
within the current receipts.
This indicates an unfortunate change
in our financial policy.
The deficit was not due to any reduc-
ton of income On the contrary, our
current income for that year was lar
ger than it had ever been before, with
one exception.
All payments for the construction,
Improvement or repair of highways
have been in these computations charg-
ed in as current expenditures, none of
the roads built being OF permanent
character.
The third table shows where the
money has come from, that we have
thus spent, outside of our current re
ceipts, during these ten years. We
have borrowed nearly ten and a half
millions and received cash on hand,
brought over from Sept. 80, 1902. of
over half a million. Out of these elev-
ments of a permanent nature at cost
of a trifie over eight millions, besides
paying old debts amounting to nearly
four and three-quarter millions. In
other words, we have saved since Sept
80, 1902, from our current income
enough to pay all our matured debts
and to make permanent additions to
the property Of the state costing about
a million and three-Quarters. Their
present value, owing to ordinary de-
probation from wear and tear, would,
of course, be considerably less.
The increase in our bonded indebted
ness during the last five years has
been rapid and unaccompanied by any
provisions either for a sinking fund
or for paying them of by degrees.
The treasurer In his report for the
past year recommends the setting
apart annually enough of the ordinary
income OF the state to meet the bonds
as they fall due, with liberty to him to
buy them up, from this source, from
time to time, as occasion offers. He
also urges, for this object, the laying
OF a state tax on the several towns OF
not less than three-fourths of a mill
each year. 1 join in these recon-
mendations.
I renew the Recommendation in my
inaugural message to the last general
assembly that a state purveyor be ap-
pointed, with a proper salary, to make
all large purchases of supplies for
state institutions. It would be a meas
ure Of plain economy.
The creation of such an Office was
originally proposed by Governor Wood
run, in 1907. It was then, and always
viii be. met by opposition from many
of those now in control of these pub
lie agencies and also by merchants in
their immediate locality, now profiting
by the present system. There should,
of course, be due provision for a petty
cash fund in each institution, by the
use OF which small purchases could be
made, as occasion required.
At present a great number of pay
ments are made by officers of state in
situations or departments from funds
drawn by them in lump sums from
the state treasury. 1 perceive no
sound reason why substMR TALLY all
dues from the state should hot be paid
directly by the state treasurer and it's
financial business thus conferred at the
capitol. This would also tend to in
crease the receipts of the state from
it's deposits in bank. Until the last
year or two many of the deposits of
state moneys, made by officers of state
institutions, were made without any
contract for interest or on one for in
terest at what seemed to me an in
sufficient rate.
Insurance of State Property.
The destruction Of any of the states
buildings would be equally a loss to
the whole people. Some are uninsured. |
The two most important ones, the cap |
itol and thf supreme court and library
building, with their historic treasures |
of inest1mable value, are totally unin- /
sured. To procure full insurance on |
all the state property would cost a
sum so much that Gin view of the nat
ural diffusion of any loss throughout |
the state among all the people, it |
would seem to me a sound business |
proposition that the state should be it's
own 1nsurer-that is, carry no insur-
ance whatever. A law to that effect |
was passed in New Hampshire in 1909, |
and it is the practice in Kansas and |
Rhode Island.
recommend that none of the insur-
ance now existing on state property be /
renewed and that no new policies be
taken out.
Removal of Inferior Executive OFFICERS.
Our constitution vests ''the supreme
executive pewer of the state in the
governor and makes it his duty to
take care that the laws be faithfully
executed" By the public acts of 1907,
chapter 1877, as amended by the public
acts of 1911, chapter 29S, he is express
ly authorized to remove for cause any
commissioner or deputy commissioner
who has been appointed by him or by
him with the advice and consent of
the senate, excepting only the highway
commissioner. I recommend that like
power of removal be given with re-
spect to any executive officers of the
state holding positions not created by
nd ho T7o