The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-11
Comptroller should Act.

The hudget should be made in the
Controllers office from made
b. the heads Of state depart ments and
sworn to. which would co npel these
beads to become ~acquainte. with the
finances 81 these departments instead OF
leaving II to some clerk as now"
Mi Stimson in explaining his plan
SD there would be necessity for a
lo.s time OF "A heavy direct tax and
an. AK could only be kept dow by
having a one man responsibility. so
that the taxpayers would have some
or TO hold responsible.
Under our plan his man will be
the Governor and We feel the tax rate
will not 20 up, no matter how much
economy must be practised. Our plan
makes the Comptroller as well as the
legislature the critic of the executive
budget. II may limit the eligibility list
for heads of State departments to be
appointed by the Governor. but 1t will
secure a higher type of Stale officials.
" seek to introduce fo~rethought
In considering the states ~fnances each
year and We confer no power upon the
Governor that he has not now. except
that We transfer his veto power TO the
beginning instead of the end OF the
performance of making appropriations.
The Governor is compelled to lay his
cards on the table and to submit his
plans to the crutiny of the Iegisla-
ture IN advance and the only thing We
take from the Legislature is the making
Of the budget, thus doing away with
'og rolling and legislative graft. Our
desire Is not to destroy but to eat
the dignity and power OF the Legisla-
ture.'
should Re Amended.
The plan of the finance committee"
YefIrnai Mr. smith 'saimnly .nnStitu-
toualizes the present methods OF
framing the annual budget. except the
initial step Is transferred from the Leg
stature to the Governor. This bill
should be amended to require a two
thirds vote in each house upon all APP
plicatiuns for private and local purposes.
as these applications are not included in
the budget repaired by the Governor"
= ". Cullinan. Republican of Oswego.
while he will vote for the budget plan.
declared there had not been the log roll
ing and plundering OF the people in the
legislature which the promoters of the
finance committee plan would have the
people believe.
This plan does not go far enough"
declared senator Wagner. THE in
crease IN STATE expenses has not been
due to the system. but to the fact that
the people have ordered the good roads.
canals, Palisades Park and other i'm
pToyemcuts. The LEGISLATURE has done
well. and It's mower should not be cur
tailed.
Il think the bill should be amended
b. providing that the Governor should be
required to attend and answer questions
In either house of the Legislature on
the request of one-third OF the members.
II should also he provided that the Gov
ernor should go on record fifteen days
after January ! as to what private and
local and construction n improvement
applications he ~favors, 80 as to leave
nothing for the Governor and the Legis-
latlre to decker about, should the Legis-
o Godfrey Sake said the Stimson
budget plan embraced in substance most
OF the provisions OF a similar amend
ment he introduced In the convention
some time ago, which was prepared oy
frcd"rlck a. Cleveland OF the hureau
OF Mnnlclpal research OF new 10TH Guy
shn air, sake
MI sake moved an afnsnuinen. sIrIk-
wv "uI inc PROVISION IequIIiis .ne So
NV " a,,eIu .ne sg"s'ons W ~
ae "iu assembly Wv answe. ,oaa
,N".u,ns II nuus. as ""n aa ha
y, u.tsilneu ~, Oh.
a,a,i1a hranch
s'"''e Wy w
"" WV
lrmuel Ely Quigg praised the work
which Mr.. Stimson and his committee
hta done in framing the budget plan,
bur thought the m should not
iore'losc amendments to their scheme'