The Mena weekly star., 1921-03-31
STATES EXPENSE
 IS Sl4,24,395l
That Will Be Cost of Operating Ar kansas Government for Next Two Years---More Appropriations
 Are Coming.

Little Rock, March zf.--Ihe s'a'e government of Arkansas will operate fov the next two years at cost of sf4.24f .s95.s9. Governor MeRae yes terday signed appropriation bills to- taIline 80 .40l ,39b.S9 and will take up the others requiring his signature early this week.
 Despite the tremendous cost ol state government, greater surplus w;Il be shown at the close of the pres ent biennial period than has existed since 1905, when the tax for state pur- poses was reduced by half Estimated revenues for the biennium are $l4,- FILED. which leaves an unexpendef balance of S529. 72411. A surplus al- most this great existed in 1905, ac- cording to State Comptroller Van E. Sims. ano the tax for state purposes was reduced from 2i4 to l IS mills Alsho the old rate was restored m 1913. Mi. Sims sad that the state did not get out of debt or on cash basis unfil the issuance of the S750,OO0 notes during Governor Broughs first administration.
 Almost half of the surplus, above the appropriations, is in the general revenue fund. Appropriations from this fund for all executive, Legislative and judicial expenses and expenses ot boards and commissions which are not self-sustaining, amount to $3,6l5. .OOU. The estimated revenues for the fund during the biennium are $3 ,S60, ,O00 and the surplus $244, TOO. Appropriations for the self-sustaining departments, such as the feed and fertilizer bureaus, bil inspection department, etc, are S525, ,200.60; the estimated revenues S577.60O: the surplus $52, 2,399.4O App propriations for special purposes such as tick eradication, sinking funds, pensions, etc, bring the grand total up to 9,401 .395.S9 Estimated rev cnues for these purposes. which are derived from taxes, fees, licenses, etc. added to the estimates for the general revenue fund and the self sustaining departments, total $9,93l,- 12O, and the surplus of receipts over expenditures on present computations is $529, ,724.11.
 More Appropriations Coming.
 The equalization announced yester- dav includes only the appropriations which has been acted on by the gov ernor. In addition are appropriations for the Highway Department and buildings at the university which were not considered yesterday. but which will be taken up during the week. The highway bill seeks an appropriation of SS00,000, and the university build ing program calls for $350, GOO, Meth CT appropriation would affect the gen. eraI revenue fund as the highway ap- propriation would come out of receipts taken in by the department, and the nnixerxitv huilding fund would be de, rived from small millage tax.
 In the cost of government also is in cluded the common schools. The rev enues and expenditures for the bien. nial are estimated at about $3,600,OO0 The revenues are derived from tax ation, and the money is appropriated by officials in the Department of Edu- cation. These three items, added to
 
 the general revenue, self-sustainine and special purpose appropriations bring the total expenses of state gov ernment to $14, ,241 ,395.89, with esti- mated revenues of $i4,77i, ,l20, leaving a surplus in ali funds of $529, ,72zl1 However, the surpiases of the self sustaining departments will remain IT the treasury to the credit of those departments.
 The greatest single appropriation was of the pension tax--S2, 100000 approximately two-thirds of all appro priations from the general revenue fund. The estimated revenues fol pensions total $2,460. 900. The uni vrrsiity appropriation, exclusive O the building fund, is SS34, ,259.77, am estimated revenues for pensions tota $2.460, 900. The university appropria ton, exclusive of the building fund, l $S34 .259.7T, and estimated revenue are $9O6, 900. However, there existe' a deficit in the university fund for tn past biennial period which will talk up the surplus. The appropriatio for the state penilentiary was $4l2, GOO. The ~source of revenue for tn prison system comes from the crop on the state farms, which is estimate by Comptroller Sims at $420,0e0
 The governor and the comptrolle were at work on the appropriatio bills until late yesterday afternoon and the two remaining bills-th highway and the university buildin appropriations were passed over be cause of the lateness of the hour.