Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-01-18
Tho Legislatures Second Week.

II
Anticipated with much interest, th'
report OF the budget committee VA
formally presented to the Legislature
Tuesday afternoon, and copies Of 1t II
pamphlet form, which had already beer
printed, were placed on the members
decks and made available for distribu
ton Wednesday morning.
| A brief once-over of this report, which
| is condensed into about the briefest pos
sible form, gives the impression that the
budget committee has done Its Worl
exceedingly well. Details OF tho 70
quests made for appropriations are not
given, but IL 10 Q we'll known fact thai
the total of these requests was up near
ly to thirty millions OF dollars. The
committee In Its report makes recon
mendatious which foot up q little less
than twenty-one millions for the two
years and half for which the estimates
are made. Even at that the amounts
recommended for most purposes are an
incresse over the expenditures for the
same purposes in the year ending June
80, 1920.
But the specially interesting feature
of the report is that, Notwithstanding
the increase In the appropriations, the
committee have figured ont proposed
state tax rate of only six mills for each
of the years 1921 and 1922. This is .
mill less than the rate Of the last two
years. 49,
In considering this result, 1t Is we'll to
bear in mind that some more than half
the total revenue of the state is derived
from Indirect taxation, and that the
amounts thus received are increasing
from year to year.
To accomplish this result the COM
mittee recommendation base their con-
illusions on the assumption that the
recommendation will be accepted-that
certain of the indirect taxes be made
payable in the first half of the calendar
year where now they are almost entirely
paid In the second half OF the year. In
cluded in these taxes so changed are the
taxes on railroads, expresses, telephone
companies, the tax on wild lands, etc.
Making this change will Offset the ad-
ditional six months in the term for
which the appropriations are made.
BY what alchemy, aside from the facts
named above, the committee have sue.
ceeded in increasing expenditures and
reducing the tax rate, only careful
study Of the figures will reveal.
However, let no one get the mistaken
i'm preston that the tax rate OF the next
two years is fixed, or that 1t will be low.
er than before, or even as low. There
is probably not department or an In
stitution of the state that will not in
sisteptly urge on the legislature an ap-
preparation larger than that recon-
mended by the budget committee.
Moreover, the legislature will be asked
for appropriations-sizable ones, some
of them-for purposes not mentioned by
the budget committee, or presented to
them in the series of hearings which
have been held. Some of these meas
ures are practically certain to get q
share of the states money.
The real problem Is up to the legisla-
ture, which IL the body to make the sp.
propriations. But the work OF the
budget committeeman 1t has been
strenuous work-will simplify the legis-
lature's job, and coming early 1t ought
to accomplish the desirable purpose OF
shortening the session.
Only short sessions were held on Tues
dsy, wednesday and Thursday, and the
legislature again adjourned till Tuesday
afternoon. Some who see the members
selling their grips to get out OF Augusta
Thursday noon, or who see them about
their homes for the next few days, have
an impression that they are not attend
ing very we'll to their business. This is
an unwarranted impression. Nothing
could have been gained by remaining In
Augusta aud having daily sessions. Very
few measures have yet been introduced,
and there has as yet not been time to ad-
vertse hearings on the matters which
are In. Daily sessions over the weekend
would not bring the final adjournment q
day nearer.
Practically all the committees are now
fully organized and ready for the busi-
ness of the session. In that respect the
work Is more forward than Ia usual at
the end of the second week.
A few measures were introduced dur
ing the week, but only two of them are
OF large general iutoEoss' Ouo - Ao
solve passed on Thursday as an emer-
gency measure, appropriating . total OF
$32, 900 for the up.keep of the Blaine
mansion for the next two years and q
half. Although this house has been put
in splendid shape for an executive resi-
dence, there had been no provision for
it's maintenance by the state. Governor
Parkhurst did not feel that be could at.
ford to run the house, and has bad
rooms at the Augusta house. With the
state maintaining the Blaine mansion, he
will of course make it bis residence.
The "anti. crime wsve' bill introduced
BY Mr.. Viles of Augusta has attracted
more public attention than anything else
so far In. 1t is designed to head of from
Maine the thugs and gunner who are
making life unsafe in New York and
other big cities. 1t very heavily increases
the penalties for such offences as bur
glary, larceny from the person, assault
with intent to commit felony, etc., ano
is made an emergency measure, to TAXI
effect when approved. So drastic are itl
terms that it is not likely to 60 through
without opposition.