The New York herald., 1922-03-02
ASSAIL GOV. MILLER
ADOPT HIS BUDGET
Senate Democratic Minority
Attacks His 'Flagrant Vio-
latiOns of Economy
Special Dispatch 10 THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, March j.

Special Dispatch 10 THE New YoRK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, March i.
After the Democratic minority had
passed two hours assailing Gov. Millers
economy and appropriation bill in the
Senate to-day they voted without dis
senting voice for the annual budget.
Senator James j. Walker, who led
the attack. hinted that the Governor
himself and his assistants had beer
guilty OF "flagrant violations OF econ
omy in their expenses.
What appears on the face OF the
budget to be a s22.ooo,oOo saving in
state expenses in two years." said
Senator Walker, has been brought
about by automatic readjustment in
conditions in which the Republican Ad-
ministration had no control"
Salary increases allowed by the State
administration in 40 positions have
cost S10S, 900, Mr.. Walker declared. and
129 new positions have been created
costing the State s221.936. Further
more. he said, there have been increases
in lump sum appropriations FOR depart
ments made in evasion OF the civil SER
vice rules. totalling $368.164. The total
increases over which the Governor had
control. he insisted, are $68S,265
Against this there have been reductions
and eliminations amounting to $513,466
Senator Walker continued: THE Re-
publican leaders assert that they have
reduced the appropriations by $9.647,.
TAI. We deny that they have made any
saving whatever. Whatever reduction
has occurred was due to conditions over
which they had no control, and was
brought about as follows: The com.
pletion of the Cortland Normal School
the change OF plan for State office
building. the purchase Of the Troy
bridge, the provision for the States
portion of the Scotia and Rexford Fla,
bridges and the elimination Of further
appropriations for the barge canal
terminal at Gowanus Bay. automatically
relieved the 1922 Legislature from ap'
propriating $4,577.000, which was In
last years budget.
"In the same way conditions of con.
struction at Marcy State Hospital and
Sing Sing prison and Rochester Term
inal have relieved the present Legis-
lature from appropriating s2,126.000
making a total reduction. without EN-
ploying the slightest measure of econ
omy. OF $6,703.000.
1.-THE Court of Claims, whose judgments
cannot be increased or decreased by the
Legislature, required no deficiency ap'
Precipitation this year and thereby the
bill was reduced to $4,222,694. the
amount allowed in the 1921 bill. and this
without any exercise Of economy. The
fall in prices Of food and supplies FOL
the State institutions made unnecessary
any deficiency appropriation therefor
thereby reducing the bill S1.33S,60O
without the slightest economy. unless
the Governor claims the credit for the
falling market
These items, amounting to s12.264..
294. represent the amount to be deducted
from last years bill before any claim
for economy can be made. The Miller
administration claims a reduction OF
$9,647,471 and thereby becomes con-
yicted Of increasing the States appro-
priations $2,616,S23 while making false
claim for economy"
Senator Lusk, majority leader, answer
ing briefly the minority charges. said
the facts remain that the States ex-
penses have been cut. taxes are being
lowered and that the efforts Of the
Democrats to belittle the fine work OF
the state administration fell flat.