The New York herald., 1921-01-06
mated by the Comptroller. are as fol-

Total estimated resources. s142 ,5si 1886. 90
I doubt that sufficient allowance has
been made in those estimates for chang
ing economic conditions which may un-
favorably affect the revenues. The small
item of 100000 liquor tax should be
eliminated from the estimate, II the
Legislature adopts the recommendation
which | shall later make to repeal the
present liquor tax law. thus abolishing
the Excise Department. and to pass
simple act to enforce the Eighteenth
Amendment of the Federal Constitution,
contornable to the act of Congress on
the subject and enforceable by peace
officers as other laws are enforced
Considering the uses for which liquor
may now lawfully be sold. the small
amount of revenue from that source and
the expense of collection. 1t does not ap-
pear TO be either expedient or wise TO
continue that tax. There are other
sources of revenue which / should eA
pect to yield less than the estimate. AL
any rate, it will allow only small fac
tor of safety to put the maximum OF
appropriations permitted by the esti-
mated resources at 100000. Even
that sum will practically exhaust the
surplus, and If maintained the following
year will then require additional tax
alton.
For Rigid Public Economy.
We should strive to reduce and more
equally to distribute the burdens or tax
alton, but first of all we must stop the
tendency of recent years to increase
those burdens. Unnecessary. unwise
and burdensome taxation. local. State
and national, Is in my judgment one or
the chief causes of present economic
conditions, from which the least able
10 bear them will suffer most We have
suffered from initiation. some OF 1t un-
necessary and artificial. We are now
suffering In part from tendency arti-
ficially to deflate, whereas sound eco
nomic conditions will only be restored py
the gradual retirement of debts. both
public and private, from savings. Pro-
duction. industry. economy and thrift
are essential to the solution OF our
economic problems. The Government
r,.st set the example and must encour-
age private thrift by practising the most
rigid public economy. l know Of no pol
lev which the State can adopt which VIII
better promote the general welfare than
that
We have then sl40,000,000 in round
numbers which may be spent during the
coming fiscal year without resort to in
creased taxation. Our aim should be TO
but in no event should appropriation
bills be passed which will require the
raising of additional revenue. TO avoid
that there must be the closest coopera-
ton between the Legislature and the
Executive. l recommend, however. that
the motor vehicle tax be increased 70
provide all the revenue needed for high
way maintenance. The motor traffic
makes such maintenance necessary and
should bear the expense of 1t.
| shall transmit the total amount of
appropriations desired by each State
Department as required by Section 26 Of
the legislative law without detailed COM
ment
/ The requested appropriations as tabu-
/ lated by the Legislative Budget Commit
| tee total S20f644.292.43. That does not
include the amount needed for interest
on and amortization of the bonds ap-
proved by the people on November for
the soldiers and sailors bonus which, II
tho whole $40, 100000 authorized be is
sued, will amount to S4,050,000. When
we consider that numerous requests for
other appropriations are always made
during the legislative session, the size of
the task ahead of US becomes apparent.
Increase In state Expenses.
The requests filed last year at this
period totalled S141. .s24 $3.50, and the
appropriations at both sessions of the
Legislature. signed by the Governor,
totalled s145.219. .906.60. including s20,-
$50. 900 for teachers salaries not in
cluded among the requests filed at the
commencement of the legislative session.
The startling gross and per capita IN
crease in the cost of the State govern
ment for the last ten years is exhibited
by the following table: