New Britain herald., 1915-02-11
SUBMITS STATEMENT
 0NF|NANC|AL OUTLOOK
impossible to Cut Appropriations to
 States Income, Says Nagce.

Hartford, Feb. l1.-A Staten ent Tn detail as to the financial outlook in the state from a legislative viewpoint and having behind it the force of his knowledge as chairman of the appro- priations committee was made to the senate today by Senator Magee of Watertown. He. frankly said that his committee feels that in spite of every effort ma de to economize it will be impossible to bring the appropriations down to a point anywhere near the es- timated income of the state during the next two years. Senator Magee at the outset quoted from the governors message in which had been pointed out that the net state debt in 1904 was s214 .5S4, while in 1914 it was s1O,- 961, ,272. He also said that the esti- mated public expense for the next two years is given as s17,676,265, one item of which is s4,456,0O0 for improved highways. The senator also liberally quoted figures from the reports of the state treasurer and the tax commits sioner to show the way in which the states indebtness had leapt upwards. Then he said: 'The attitude of the ap- propriations committee is to cut down on expenses wherever possible. About one half of the appropriations asked for are fixed specifically by statute.'' Of the $2,623,436 called for by the ed ucation department, 66 per cent. is statutory and the committee has no option than to pass favorably on that part The remainder is not specific but to carry out the intent of the statute it is impossible to make any material reduction. The judicial de- partment calls for s1,431,s50 which is practically all statutory. ,S$,
 Only Remedy Amendment
 The senator then added: "The matter of increasing salaries, and of passing acts entailing still larger expense to the state has already been brought to the attention of the com- mittee. Several bills of this charac- ter are now pending and I hope the senate and house will go carefully be- fore they put the stamp of approval oE them. The leaks which have caused the ever-increasing debt to the state are found largely in the general statutes, and the only remedy is by amendment"
 MT. Magee said the committee in tends to call attention to bills of this character He said highway bills have not yet been considered. Per- sonally he believed the governors recommendation was sound, that the state should go slow in new construc- tion of highways and give more at tertion to the care of highways al- ready built. The humane institutions called for biennial expenditure of about two millions of dollars, and it is estimated that more money will be needed in the next two years. The senator called attention to many al- ! leged inequalities in the laws pro- viding for the support of these insti- tutions. He said there was one group of institutions supported by the state together with a direct payment by the towns or by persons interested in those being cared for at such institu- tions. He then referred to another group which includes the industrial schools, which are wholly supported by the state. He then pointed out the in the law relating to schools, and especially to the old school grants. *
 Then he took up the matter of hos pitfalls and the support they received from the state. He said he did this simply to show that the state is ap- an immense sum of
  said that the states income is esti- mated at $9,115, ,O00, while if the ap- bills are totalled on their figures the estimate of money asked for would be nearly s25, 100000. The estimated expenditures for the next two years Is $1S,126,265, and this does not include any figures for state ar mories, bridges, inebriate farms. wo- mans reformatory or new buildings for the institutions for the blind
 Amounts Absolutely Necessary.
 The senator said that the committee wishes it to be understood that it will recommend only such amounts as seem absolutely necessary for the proper care and maintenance of those things for which the state is respon- sible. The committee will oppose bills which carry increased salaries or necessitate increased cost to the state. This will be done by the chairman or members Of ,he.- com mittee, not as a. personal matter but to carry out the sentiments of the committee as expressed by a vote taken at an executive session.