Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-14

SlOuhd' ne also recommended lndI
the state tax cNmmission be reduced
in number from five to three mem
bers and that the law should be
changed so as to eliminate the deduc-
ton of eight per cent of all taxes coll
lected for state purposes for the bene-
fit of the county salary fund so that
the full amount of state taxes thus
collected would go in the state treas
ury.
Board That Drew Budget.
The state budget was prepared by
the governor of the state, the State
auditor, Mr.. Sargent and the attorney
general, Mr.. Askren, in accordance
with chapters 81 and ia of the ses-
sion laws of 1917. This board has
been working constantly during the
past four weeks in hearing repressn-
tatives of the various state Institutions
and departments, in scrutinzing the
estimates of each and in making COM
pilation for the convenience of the
members of the legislature in consid-
ering the budget. The labors of the I
budget committee were concluded yes
terday morning, when the governor in
person presented the state budget for
the biennimu 1920-1921 and appro-
priating bills to the joint session of
the senate and house.
The general appropriation bill car
res total for the eighth fiscal year
of 81 ,0S9, 1924, and for the ninth fis-
cal year $1,062,61725. For the same
purposes there was appropriated for
the sixth fiscal year 81 0S1 ,7S0: that is
for the year ending November 80,
1918. For the seventh or currs fis-
| cal year, the last legislature appropro-
priated $1,065,9S0 1t will lie seen
therefore that the general appropria-
ton bill carries total for the next
biennium in excess of the present BIZ
ennium of only $4,656.49. The appro-
priation bill also carries deficiency
appropriations for the seventh or cur
rent fiscal year amount to 41,754.S4
Special appropriation bills have
been submitted by the governor pro-
viding $500 for the enid welfare
board which is to be created and $12,-
900 for the care of delinquent girls
under the girls welfare board. Spe-
cial laws also will provide for the in
crease of one mill in the state school
tax and for a special state levy for
the health department.
state Tax Rate.
In the seventh or present fiscal
year, the total state tax rate is IA
mills, and it is estimated that for the
ninth and tenth fiscal year an in
crease of approximately half mill
will he necessary to meet the state
budget estimates. There will be no
increase in the state road levy if pro-
vision is made for increasing the reve-
nues for road purposes from other
sources, such as automobile licenses
and the oil tax. If these sources are
provided, the increase for state roads
will bea, more than would have been
produced by the contemplated one
half mill increase in the road tax. 1t
is of course assumed that the present
war tax of one-quarter or three-tenths
of mill will he necessary for the
eighth and ninth fiscal years.
The value of the budget system has
been fully justified in that the esti-
mated needs of the state have been
brought before one body which has
also had under consideration the
amount of revenue available for all
purposes. With all the facts before
it. the budget committee has been
able to judge of the relative Import
ance of the estimates presented and
to make appropriations in accordance
herewith. As a result, while the oril
glnal estimates, calledffor appropria-
tons apr oximating two million 4
=
amount has been reduced to almost !
half this amount in order that it
might be possible to increase levies
for the pressing needs of the states
common school system and for the ]
construction and maintenance of an +!
adequate road system. The decrease {
applies in largest measure 20 the state {
institutions, practicable all building
proposals having been eliminated ard {
the estimates for maintenance largely !
reduced in the case of certain institu- {
tons. In the aggregate the building
programs of the various institutions {
envlved expenditures of nearly $780,
600, requests having been made as
follows: The University of New Mex
leo $4,000: the Agricultural College
S25S,000; the School of Mines $S5-
900; the Military Institute $4,000;
the Normal University at Las Vegas
$4,000; the Normal School at Silver
City $4,000; the Spanish American
Normal $4,000; the Institute for the
Blind $62,500; the Museum for New
Mexico $45,000 the Insane Asylum
$4,000; the Miners Hospital SIG
900. The penitentiary also needs an
additional building for a womans
dormitary and superintendent cot
tage for which no estimates were sub
mitted The only allowed estimates
for buildings approved were those of
$12,500 for an addition to the boys |
dormitary at the agricultural college
and $4,000 for a heating plant at
the Normal school at Silver City The
special act providing S45 900 for
soldiers memorial hall is also a prob
ability, The additional buildings will
be provided for by the issuance of
certificates of Indebtedness or of
bonds. If found constitutional, certi-
ficates of Indebtedness may be issued
in the amount necessary in anticipa-
ton of small annual levy covering
ten or fifteen years.
Definite Appropriations.
The appropriation bill now before
the legislature is different from those
presented to any previous legislature, ,
in that definite appropriations are !
made for each of few principle
Items covering the needs of each in !
stitution for maintenance More
over 1t is proposed to require each
institution to turn over all its re-
reipts from all sou 'ces to the state ,
treasurer and such receipts are APP ,
propriated to the several institutions ,
+