Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-23
BUDGET
IS 100000
Largest in History Of State for
the Coming Year
HEARINGS ARE COMPLETED
Runyon Will Have to Do Some
Unusual Cutting to Come
Within Budget

1
TRENTON, Dec. 23.-Now that the
budget hearings before Governor Run
yon have practically been concluded
and the aggregate requests for ap-
propriations by the next Legislature
indicate that the amount will be ap-
proximately $17,000,000, the largest
total in the history of the State, it has
become apparent that Mr.. Runyon will
have to do some unusual pruning to
conform with the provision in the
Budget Act, which requires that his
recommendation to the Legislature
shall be kept within the estimate rev.
enue or money available for the year
for which the recommendations are
made. The understanding at this time
is that when the State Comptroller
and the state treasurer present to the
Executive their estimates of the money
the state will have for use in the next
fiscal year that the amount will not
exceed $11, 100000, which means that
Mr.. Runyon will have to slice off ap-
proximately one-third of the total
amount of money which the various
State departments, institutions and
agencies have requested.
The PAY AS We Go" policy advo-
Gated and carried out by the Edge
administration is said to have wiped
out the so-called surplus or free bal
ance of over $S,00O,000 in the State
Treasury at the end of the last fiscal
year. Had it been kept intact the
present chief executive in his message
to the incoming legislature would have
only to cut approximately $3,000,0 900
from the requests now before him,
whereas it is becoming apparent that
he will have to take to slashing whole
sale, to the extent of about $6,000,000.
The surplus in the State Treasury
at the beginning of the present fiscal
year has practically been wiped out
by the following appropriations pass
ed by the last Legislature: Hudson
River Tunnel, $1,0O0,000; Delaware
River Bridge, 100000 New Wing for
Morris Plains Insane Hospital, $500,
000 New Wing for State Capital
100000; for purchase OF Newark
Normal School, 100000; for pur-
chase and freeing of Toll Bridges,
100000.
1t is understood that members OF
the Budget Commission differed with
Governor Edge on the wisdom OF pay
ing for permanent improvements of
the foregoing character by appro-
priations out of the States income and
that they advocated a bond issue to
cover these costs, but that the then
Governor insisted ON the financial
course which was followed
In view of the foregoing the forth
coming budget message of Mr.. Run
yon to the incoming body of lawmak-
ers is expected to make some inter
estinS comments.
The estimated revenue and surplus
upon which appropriation recommen-
dations for the fiscal year 1919-1920
were based in the budget message of
Governor Edge last year was the sum
of $4,000 and upon this estimate
he asked the lawmakers to make ap-
preparations totaling $9,930,000. But
in addition, he tackled on various
items, like the bridge and tunnel and
similar projects. When the law
makers had completed their work the
appropriation bill for the year was
$13, 100000
The $17,00O,000 in total budget re-
quests now before Governor Runyon
include a million dollars more each
for the bridge and tunnel projects
and over $1,000,00O which the De-
partment of Institutions and Agen-
cies has asked for state institutions,
mostly for Improvements Higher
salaries and rising costs in supplies
and materials for state agencies and
departments are also a factor in the
big total.
Two big bond issues will be re-
quired Of the next legislature, that is
the measures to enable the people to
vote upon them will be asked. One
will be for the bridge and tunnel pro-
iects and it VIII contemplate the float
ing of a loan of $20,000,000 and the
other viii be asked by the Depart
ment of Institutions and the amount
viii run to $15.000,000 to provide
money to pay for improvements and
new buildings for the various State
institutions to last for years to come
and to take care of the States needs
for years.
When the money from the bonds
for the bridge and tunnel projects
is realized, the State Treasury. it is
expected, will be recompensed for the
81. 100000 it has already paid out
for these two improvements. If the
other bond issue for the institutions
Is approved, then the State Treasury
will be free of these expenses.
1t would appear that while under
the Edge administration and through
his ideas of economy and efficiency
many departments have produced in
creased income and revenue for the
state, on the other hand the policy
of disbursng State funds by the pay