Arizona republican., 1921-08-03
MEMBERS VOICE OPPOSITION T0 SPECIAL SESSION
Maricopa County Repre- sentatives Believe Noth- ing Could Be Accomp- lished But Are Willing To Give Time

Declaring they were willing to do- nate their services and time to a spe- cial session of the state legislature if called by the governor to reduce the state budget, members of the legisla- ture from Maricopa county who met with the board of supervisors yester- day afternoon were united in the opinion that such a session would not accomplish the task for which it was called unless a definite plan was made previously by the governor as to the appropriations to be reduced. No definite action was taken at the meeting, which adjourned at o'clock All but one of the county's legislative representatives were present, as well as three representatives of the State Taxpayers association.
 The meeting was opened by J. R. Bradshaw, county supervisor and president of the State Associa tion of Supervisors, who said the meeting had been called to let the legislators know the conditions in the state and to see if there were any steps they could take to reduce the state bud get without crippling any of the state institutions or departments, and to ascertain their ideas in regard to a special session of the state legislature and its possibilities to effect a rem edy for the situation.
 Senator H. B. Wilkinson, president of the state senate, said he was not 1 in favor of a special session of the | legislature unless he knew beforehand | just what appropriations the people of Maricopa county wanted eliminat- ed. To accomplish anything at the session, Senator Wilkinson said. the | legislators should be informed as to 1 IL, l., l- fHI fersa l he said, the special session would ac- complish nothing
 Senator C. M. Stoddard said an ex- pression from the people as to what | they wanted would be of great as- sistance to the legislators, but 1t was | impossible to get such an expression and without it nothing could be done He said he did not favor the special session without a definite plan upon i which to work
 | D. P. Jones, representative, said he | thought the reduction of the budget was up to the governor, who should | offer a plan from which to work. Ii the heads of the departments were willing to cut down their appropria- | tions, the budget might be reduced he said, but he did not favor cutting the school budget, but would rather l increase it.
 O. D. Betts, representative, said he | believed the members of the legis- i lature now are as much in the darR as to the real requirements of the various departments as they were | while in session. The heads of the l departments should go on record and l furnish the governor with signed l statement as to the minimum amount | their departments could be run on, ht
 said. if the session is to make a re- I auction.
 l If fully informed as to what could I be done, w. D. Baxter. representa- tive, said he was in favor of spe- | cial session, but otherwise he was against it. J. H.. Kinney. representa- tive, believed a special session would put all the legislators on trial and require them to undo that which the, have already done. If each county were willing to make certain cuts anc all cooperate, he said, something might be done, but he felt sure tha none of the counties would want te eliminate those appropriations fol
 which they fought in the last legis- | lature.
 O. E. Schupp said he was agains any steps to reduce the appropriation
 made for the state university, and
 felt a special session would gair
 nothing.
 John R. Norton, representing th' taxpayers association. declared he fel
 a special session should be called tt
 cut down the budget. The budget 1T
 1917, he said, was about $3,000.00 and the state was in better financia
 condition than at present. when th'
 state budget is approximately s6-
 S00,00 Taxes on a quarter section
 he said, were about s100 in 1917, a!
 compared to $500 at present
 MT. Norton said he did not blam'
 the legislature for the pre- ssent condi
 tion of affairs, but he felt it was III
 to it and to the governor to pull
 them out" Other representatives O
 the tax association who spoke wer'
 c. C. Green and Fred Tate.
 ''The present high rate of taxation,
 said George D. Christy. deputy coun'
 ty attorney and advisor to the board
 of supervisors, lis caused by the larg'
 number of bond issues which hav'
 been voted special session of thu
 legislature could accomplish little
 but it might change the law govern
 ing bond elections"
 He pointed out that s100.O0'
 school bond issue .n Phoenix was
 bx- ,,oonIa