The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-06

 revenue derived therefrom.
 I recommend the consideration of and action on the following state ment in the tax commissioners report of 1914:
 The imposition of an annual franchise tax on all general corpora tions organized in the state, and similar tax on foreign corporations. doing business in the state; an annual 1 franchise tax on all private water and 1 power companies; a moderate annual franchise tax on all gas and electric l companies; adequate taxation of the 1 states oyster fanchises; a. reduction | of the exemptionssin in the inheritance
 tax law and an increase in the rates, particularly in property passing to 1 coIlaterals and strangers; stringent l penalty to compel the listing for. taxa 1 ton of choses in action; the repeal Of 1 the present law taxing railroads and. I thet adoption of the gross earnings
 basis, as recommended by the special
 tax commission in 1912s would insure i a much increased annual income
 which might, with economies. make a
 small tax necessary only once in two years"
 State Board of Finance.
 The business affairs of the state. SC I far as is possible, should be conduct- ed along lines which have stood the l test of experience in successful pri- lvate business corporations. The ex-
 penditures should be made with care ful delfberadon, always keeping in
 mind the total annual income. l s Careless business methods are in- evitably expensive to those financially l interested in the undertaking. The practice which has prevailed for Emany years of making appropriations
 for the biennial period through an l appropriation committee of the Gen
 eral Asser5'aiy is WastefuIss unseien-
 life, and ltrary to the approvea methods O. private business
 The appropriation committee is EfrequentIy composed of men with no 1 previous legislature experience and who have had no opportunity to
 study the needs of the state, nor the sources and amount of it's income,
 and, however loyal and jealous they l may be, the task is beyond them. The present imperative demands on the state treasury, the necessity | for strict economy, and the import | ance of a scientific study of receipts l and expenditures demand 9 change
 from our present. procedure
 I recommend the creation of a l board of finance, similar to that ad- I Vocated by the tax commissioner in I his biennial reports of 1910 and 1914,
 such board to consist of three citi- | zens appointed for a period of yearss I the state treasurer, comptroller and l tax commissioner sex officio; and two 1 senators and three representativ to ! be appointed by each General As- EsembIy to serve during the session. I All legislative bills authorizing ap- I propriations. should be referred to 1 this board for approval.
 I The experience in relation to and
 the cumulative knowledge of the nee I essary expenditures and probable re- Il ceipts of the state which this board would soon acquire, would surely re- suit in more wise and economical ap- < | of i- 1 lures, and 8 proportionate decrease in I the taxation burden.
 I Our present constitutional provi-
 sion requires that this legislative
 session shall terminate not later than I the 9th of next. June. It will of T course adjourn as much earlier as the
 business which shall be submitted by l the diligence of your committees and
 the length and frequency of your
 daily sessf ons.
 The 1913 General Assembly a7- Ijourned on June 4th. and the 1911 8I General Assem- bly, &ad djourned on Sep
 ten1ber 2*th of that year. That the
 citizens of the state have not suffered
 by the shortening of the session and
 the decreased volume of legislation : will be conceded.
 If it was required that all propos- q ed bills and resolutions be filed with si the secretary of state one week be-
 fore the General Assembly convened,  Fl clerk of bills refer them to the ap-
 propriate committees to be appoint
 ed, it would result in 8 very material
 saving of time as compared with the
 present procedure. as the committees when appointed could at once com menee their duties.
 f A further material saving of tisne
 and of expense could be effected if !. proposed legislation adversely acted < upon by the committee to which it was referred was not reported except
 where required by vote of the Senate or House.
 At the November election the vot- sI CTS of Connecticut elected all their < state officers of one party and gave Il to that party an almost unprecedenf-
 ed majority of the members of each branch of the General Assembly.
 This expression of confidence, fn E sharp contrast with the result only two years earlier, should bring with
 it a corresponding sense of responsi- bility on the part of those chosen
 The strength of a political party and it's hold upon the electors is measured Ifby4 the service it renders the state as a whole and not by that rendered tc individuals.
 II am confident that we shall work Li together for the welfare of the state and that the work of the session will convince the electors of the state that we have been faithful to the trust