The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-03-25
WOULD RAISE SALARY
OF SOME OFFICIALS
Recommended 30-Cent State
Tax Although That Would
Fall Short About S7OO,OOO
of Wiping Out the States
Indebtedness.

Governor Percival w. Clement this
morning addressed the members of the
legislature in Joint assembly on the mat
ter of state expenses He reviewed brief
ly the different expenses of the state,
went through the report of the budget
committee. and summed up the whole,
saying that he thought 30-cent tax
would be sufficient for each year Of the
two ensuing years to meet the state ex-
penses, but that if the state desired to
clean up its entire deficit of 100000 in
two years, a 40-cent tax would be neces-
sary The governor did not advise this,
however, as he thought it would be too
heavy a burden and he declared that the
deficit would only be a paper deficit and
could easily be handled two years from
now.
A saving Of expenses through the state
carrying its own insurance was urged by
the governor a bill now being before
the House with that end in view. Gov
ernor Clement pointed out that our state
buildings. including those at Montpelier,
Nergennes, Brandon, Waterbury, Rut
land, Windsor, etc, are widely scattered
and that most of them are now practi-
cally fireproof, and he thought that it
would in the end be a saving to the state
to create a sinking fund to be added TO
each year, Just the same as we would
pay our insurance, which could be used
in case of fire, and the interest of which
would 90 to aid in erecting new buildings
as they become necessary. The governor
said that he thought the buildings We're
over-valued by insurance companies,
81 was hoping said Governor Glenn
ent, that the committee appointed to
investigate the Vail Agricultural school
and the State Agricultural school at
Randolph would advise Consolidation of
these two schools, but they did not. 1t
seemed TO me that the work of these
two schools could have been done to ad-
vantage at one school.
THE administration department of
the state will do its best to make these
two schools Just as good schools as pos
sibIe during the next two years"
In speaking of the amount necessary
to carry on the military work, furnish
ing state pay to both enlisted and draft
ed men. Governor Clement read figures
compiled in the office of the state treas
urer. which show that the total amount
UEtutu lbl uOih Minus VI ehflbC pay TN'f lbll
the expenses attached thereto, is 81 ,0S5,-
737, Of which Sl,000,000 was appropriat-
ed by the legislature of 1917 and the
remainder will have to be raised by a
bond issue.
Governor Clement stated that. while
he favored the cutting down Of state eX-
penses everywhere possible, he thought
that some of the state officers should be
paid more, so that they would not be
obliged to give up too much in accepting
state office, and so that they could
support themselves in the proper dignity
of their Office without having to use
their private funds. He referred espe-
cially to the Office of governor, and said
that while he asked nothing for himself,
he thought that the salary Of the gov
ernor of the state should be raised.
Some of the figures given by Gov
ernor Clement in his statement were as
follows: Support of departments, 81
sos 800; appropriations of the budget
committee. ST6O,O00, including S600000
to match federal aid for highways; mill
tary notes, S50S.O0O. A bond issue Of
81 100000 will be made to take up these
notes and for the purpose of appropria-
JAOi6 AbA q AtAAiNf'AN y A4HtNA '''iN NtiN ffN'+NN
pay for drafted men.
Bills now pending in the House and
Senate call for an appropriation OF $llj,-
600. The following are some of the inn
portant appropriations: Vail school, $45,
600; Randolph 100000; weights and
measures, $4,000; district health Off
GERS BILL $4,000; barge terminal, $30, 500
annually, making total of S200500.
The state revenue amounts to SILL
600. Expressing his opinion that a 80
cent tax would be sufficient if it were
not decided to clean up the deficit (which
he did not adyisel, Governor Clement
said that if there is a little deficit, the
state offices at Montpelier win be a lit
tie more careful of the state money dur
ing the next two years.
Governor Clement also stated that
probably more money would be expended
for highways during the coming two
years, taking advantage so far as prac-
tical of the offer Of the federal govern
ment. The highway department will
probably expend close to Sl,220,000.