The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-16
TRAVIS DISCUSSES
STATES FINANCES
For 1919 Fiscal Year ApprO-
priations Asked Exceed Re-
sources S88,964,4
LESSER SUM IS PROBABLE
Savings on War Activities in
Part Offset by Demands Of
Peace Conditions.
Sp,cioy De.patch 10 Tue SUI.

Special Despdtch TO Tue SUI.
Albany. Dec. 15.-Serlous problems
confront the incoming Legislature In
the conversion OF the States financial
status from a war to a peace basis.
The tabultlon of appropriations re-
auested by the various departments or
tho State government just completed
by Comptroller Eugene NJ. Travis shows
that the amount requested for the
fiscal year beginning July 1, 1913, ex-
ceeds the States estimated resources
by s3s,964,416. The appropriations re-
quested amount to s96,6o2,29o. while
the estimated resources are $57,637.373.
The appropriations asked are about
81. 500 900 less than those Of last year,
while the expected resources are
about s12,OOO,0OO less. because Of de-
crease in cash balance and the loss
of the liquor tax, which will be about
| So 900 900.
II the Legislature is able to prune
the appropriations requested for the
coming fiscal year in about the proper
ton the requests were cut last year
the discrepancy between appropria-
lions and estimated resources will be
reduced to something less than
$23, 900. 900, and OF this amount
$13,341. e7S for interest on State bonds
and contributions to sinking funds for
bond retirements must be realized by
n direct State tax. This will still
4 leave a shortage of approximately
s10,o0o.oo0
Savings Are Largely OFFSET.
Some saving, 1t is pointed out, may
be made by the cessation OF the
| States war time activities but this
will be largely offset by the resump-
ton of the States building and high
way development programme that has
been suspended because Of war con-
ditions Immediate attention is neces-
sary for the building programme. The
State hospitals for the insane are
| dangerously overcrowded now and
construction work will have to be put
under way almost Immediately.
| The State has about 100000 for
highway development still available
from It's second bond issue, but If
labor conditions continue on a war
basis and prices remain on their
present high level only about one
half OF the proposed work can be done
with this money.
! Discussing the outlook for the Legis-
lature OF 1919, Speaker Sweet Of the
Assembly said:
| For two years the State has been
on war basis, and every other interest
has been subordinated to securing max :
imhm efficiency In every line of war
work open to us. The sudden termina-
ton OF the war brings with it an en-
tirely new set Of problems. The de-
mands for appropriations to carry on
important public improvements on
! which work has been suspended for
two years are going to be unusually
! heavy. and it is not going to be an
easy matter to find the money to meet
all of them without the imposition OF
| burdensome taxes. Retrenchment.
wherever possible without Gripping
necessary activities OF government, is
going to be imperative"
Suggests an Elastic Budget.
AS a practical method of effecting n
saving on appropriations Comptroller
Travis suggests a more condensed and
elastic form of budget. On this point
he says:
81 am OF the opinion that a materin,
saving could be made in the amount
appropriated each year it appropria-
tons were made in a more elastic and
condensed form. If this is done ! be-
lieve the same results regarding costs
and control over expenditures would
be obtained as at present. While the
various organization units of the State
are required TO make their estimates
according TO detailed classifications. 1,
is web understood that these reuuuests
do not always represent the actual
budget requirements and can therefore
be materially reduced"
The Comptroller also suggests ar
annual tax on mortgages in place OF
the present recording fee. In explain
ing this suggestion the ComptrolIer
shows that the tax of S292,97l.97 col
leCted for the last quarter was at n
rate so insignificant as to be merely
nothing more than an exemption fee.
"a few years ago" said he, citing m
example of how the present law works
"one of the largest corporations in tho
State issued $40, 100000 worth Of bonds
payable in 1861. The owner of one OF
these bonds can to-day take it to the
County Clerks Office where the mort.
gage was first reported and pay tax
of So. procuring exemption from fur
ther taxation for the next 443 years
Can 1t be said that such a tax, whic,,
is slightly more than l cent. year for
each $1,000, is In fact a tax"