The Connecticut labor press. (New Haven, Conn.) 191?-1921, 1921-01-14
STATE DEPARTMENTS ASK
DOUBLE EXPECTED INCOME
TO RUN NEXT TWO YEARS
Board of Finance Tabulation to
Legislature Shows Alarming
Condition of Affairs-Leaves
Out New Projects but Still Way
Behind.

The General Assembly, which con-
vened Wednesday, will be asked to
appropriate approximately $4O,OOO,UOU
for maintenance of state departments
and institutions, new construction and
special welfare appropriations. This
figure was intirnated by the state board
of finance, which estimated that the re-
quests for Legislative appropriations
would probably exceed by 100 per cent.
the $20,781,O00 which is the boards
estimate of the net revenue in sight tor
the coming biennial period.
State departments and institutions
requested a total of 28102, 1921 of
the state board of finance and the board,
according to a statement, will recon-
mend to the Legislature that $685.
616 to be appropriated for state mainte-
nance, alone. In addition to the mann
tenance appropriation requests the
board was also asked for construction
appropriations aggregating SlO,OOo,-
34363. No recommendations are made
by the board, however.
According to the board, its recon-
mended budget for maintenance does
not include any of the various new pro-
iects which are being agitated through
the public press" Some of these new
projects" as indicated by the board and
the estimated cost of each are the toll
lowing: ..
|. Soldiers bonus BILL which if
passed, would entail an expenditure OF
approximately $5,5OO,OOO.
2. Child Welfare program at an es-
timated cost of $lOO,OOO.
3. State constabulary at an est1-
mated cost of $330000.
C01tinuatiOO of the average at
tendance grant and increasing the grant
for each pupil from SIS to 81 at an eSti-
mated cost of ST 100000.
The boards budget report, which IS
now in the hands of the printer and
which will De ready for the Legislature
in about two weeks, shows that the
deficit that will be incurred during the
current biennial period which closes
June 80 is $1,756,225.86. 1t is possible
that the deficit, which was caused by
increased maintenance cost since the
budget was adopted in 1919, may be
met by an issue of bonds, or short term
notes, a matter has not yet been deter
mined.
The boards recommendation Of a
$25,2o3,616 maintenance budget, in its
relation to the increased activities
and high cost of maintenance, is sig
nifcant when compared with the $2O-
825,458.50 which the Legislature appro-
priated for maintenance in 1919 for the
two years which began July l, 1919.
The maintenance appropriation plus the
appropriation for construction work in
1919 aggregated a little more than
$32,0O0,OO0.
In view of the fact that the state
board of finance has not recommended
any construction, or new project appro-
priations, it is believed that warm
fight will be waged in the Legislature
for appropriations. The state board of
finance has been in session several
months, holding hearings on depart
mental and institutional estimates
While the board was IN session frequent
requests for additional appropriations
and transfers were made of the state
board of control by various departments
because of the inability of the current
appropriation to meet the demands of
the departments.
With only $2O,781 900 in net revenue
in sight for the biennial period begin
ming July /, the state board of finance
points out deficit at the start of $4,-
512,616. 1t is apparent, however, that
determined effort is to be made to
acquaint the legislators when they con-
fronting the state, owing to the in
creased expenditures and it is expected
that a careful pruning of appropriations
will be undertaken by the legislative
appropriations committees.
In his annual report recently sub
mitted to the governor State Treas
urer G. Harold Gilpatric has indicated
the danger of an increased appropria-
ton budget owing to the fact that the
means for increasing the revenue of the
state were few in sight. Treasurer
Gilpatric has recommended that either
forms of taxation be devised. 1t is
possible, he believes, that both measures
may have to be resorted to. AS possible
ways of raising more revenue he has
suggested tax on banks and a personal