The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-01-20
PROPOSES PLAN
TO CURB EXPENSE
Representative Barber of
BrattlebOro Speaks
in Springfield
EXECUTIVE BUDGET
LAW is NEEDED
Would Have All Bills Calling for Spe-
cial Appropriations Wait Until Budget
for Running State Government Is
Adopted
Especial to The Reformer.)
SPRINGFIELD. Vt. Jan.


In a largely attended meeting in the
home of Gov. and Mrs. James Hartness
last night. when the Altrurian WOmans
club had as guests members of the Cos
mopolitan and Outlook clubs, Represen-
tative Frank f. Barber of Brattleboro
presented a thoughtful and entertaining
address in which he gave his views a. to
what should be done to curb the con-
stantly increasing expense of the state
government.
He advocated in particular an exec
utive budget law which would require
the incoming governor to make a detailed
statement of the financial condition and
needs of the state government and which
would require that appropriations to meet
those needs should be made before any
other bill calling for an appropria ton
was considered. If thereafter, after the
available funds were exhausted, the legis-
lators voted special appropriations, they
would do SO with the certain knowledge
that direct state tax would be neces
sary TO meet them.
Mr.. Barber opened his remarks by ex-
planning how government functions un-
der a democracy. calling attention to
/ the executive. legislative and judicial
( departments. and the constitutional pro-
visions providing that those remain en-
tJrely separate and independent. he
touched upon the theory OF our political
system, stating that government should
| not be limited to the mere duty of gov
| eTnin@ the people by the exercise OF its
| police power. but that it has a higher
| duty, that OF promoting the educational
interest of the people, encouraging their
& H. a.s.l d
ural resources, fostering its commercial
interests and providing reasonable ia
/ eilities demanded by prudent regard
4 for the growth, development and gen
| eral prosperity of the people.
/ He then proceeded with a discussion
/ of the work of the legislature and it,
problems. saying in part:
1.-The most important work which the
/ legislature has to do Is to make the
! necessary appropriations for the support
of the general government, and to pro
! vide revenue with which to meet these
appropriations. While this should b,
| the most important, still it Is made oI
secondary Importance under existing
| conditions. lsle so@alled budget bill
/ providing support of these state actIvi
\ ties or commissions is never considered
by the legislature until after all the
special appropriations have been passed
upon This System and the poiicv whicl
d
wrong, 1t enables tile special interests
Cor those who desire money from tn,
! public treasury for any purpose. to gel
their appropriation through before tn,
governmental items are considered, ant
at a time when the members have Iittt
knowledge of the states income or thi
amount required for governmental pur
poses. furthermore, it permits the de
partmentS with the greatest politica
| strength and influence to obtain allow
of other departments. Every depart
ment or commission Is a separate agenc,
log rolling and lobbying with the mem
bers, using every influence possible il
favor of that particular department
No regard whatever Is paid to other de
partments. no balancing of accounts O
comparison of the quality or relative
value of the work which one department
is doing compared with another Tht
| bill providing for committee on bud
| get was enacted i'm 1915. but anyone ia
| maliar with state history must conced
| that it is not sufficient to stem the It'd
| of mounting expenses. Authority unde
this law is so divided that we can eX
| pect but little from it. Judged by the past
| "Ihe procedure in the legislature mus
| chauge-the order of things must b.
! reversed These sDeclal appropriation
must give way to the appropriations fol
| governmental purposes To my mind
the state needs an Executive Budget
! Law. The governor is elected in Nc
| vember, two months before the legisla
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