The New York herald., 1922-02-14
CUT OF $9,647,471
in STATES BUDGET
Saving Would Have Been
Much Greater but for
Mandatory Increases.
DIRECT TAX HELPED
Only About $4,000, 900 In
stead of $35, 900, 900 for
Debt Service.
ECONOMIES CONTINUED
ECONOMIES CONTINUED
Annual Appropriation Bill Re-
ported to Legislature Makes
New Reductions.
Special D ypatcn to The New YORK HERALD.

Special Dypatch TO The New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany. Feb 13.
The annual appropriation bill reported
TO the Legislature tonight by the State
Budget Commission shows an actual re-
duction of s9.647,471 from the appropria-
tons made for similar purposes last
year. and it was declared that the de-
crease would have reached the total of
SIS, 1885, ,OOS but for absolutely necessary
increases fixed by law.
The report states that because some
appropriation matters are yet to be
decided, including the amount to be set
aside for the New York-New Jersey tun-
ne! and the proposed hydro-electric
development, the exact total of all ap-
preparations to be made by the Legisla-
lure this year cannot yet be given
exactly.
But it will be we'll under slaO, ,OOO, 900
and not very far from SIPS, ,0OO 900, the
ieport said This will favorably make
IT possible to carry out the Governors
recommendation in his annual message
taat the tax for school teachers SAL
aries be done away with this year."
In that event State direct tax will
have to be imposed to raise only about
Sl2O00.000 for debt service instead of
nearly 1000 600 as last year.
Explain the Bill.
Senator Hewitt chairman of the SEN
ate Finance Committee. and Assembly
man McGinnis. chairman of the Assem-
bly, Ways and Means Committee, in
joint statement on the annual appro-
priation bill tonight said
The annual appropriation bill totals
S102.S57.610.64. The annual appropria-
tion bill OF last year totaled $9S,223,-
S07.5S. but objects which are cared for
in the annual appropriation bill of this
year were provided for in separate bills
last year So that the annual appro-
priation bill of this year compares with
a total of $112,405, ,0S1.77 for the same
purposes in 1921, or reduction in ap-
preparations for similar purposes OF
s3.647,471.13.
The total appropriation for personal
services in 1921 was s26,271, ,427.2o. This
years bill carries a total for this pur-
nose of $26.5S1 .s92.51. But $44S,903 OF
this total Is for items which were be-
yond control.
'.The bill appropriates approximately
$4,000. 900 for construction work in the
state hospitals. The appropriation will
permit the progress of increasing the
bed capacity and will round out the
work already started at Kings Park,
Central Islip, Middletown and Marcy,
which when completed will Increase the
capacity Of the hospital group by $500
beds. In addition to the construction
thus provided for at the hospitals In the
bill reported tonight there was also
made available by this Legislature an
appropriation OF s3.000.ooo for the con-
struction of a new hospital unit at
Creedmoor.
For the increase of terminal facll-
ties and other improvements on the
barge canal system the bill makes avail
bile appropriations aggregating $1,000
COO"
Association Renews Attack.
At the same time that the Budget
Commissions report. with its statement
of continued economies by the Miller
administration. appeared at the Capitol
the New York State Association made
public a reply signed by George w.
Wickersham, vice-president. to Gov. Mil
ler's attack on the association because
Of its statement that the number OF
employees in the State service had
grown by nearly 1000 in the last year.
The Governor declared 1t untrue and
that on the contrary there was de-
crease in State employees of nearly 500.
lie said the aSSOcldtlons y StdleH1enI
was a "piece OF the propaganda that this
association is scattering over the State
THE association" Mr.. Wickersham
declared in his reply. "is engaged in the
effort to disseminate accurate informa-
ton regarding the State government In
a way which Is iff-iine with the recon-
mendations frequently made by the Re-
publican organization in the State OF
New York, by independent organiza-
tions. as well as by the constitutional
convention of 1916, and by this associa-
rtion from the time of its organization.
I'VE perfectIy understand that you are
not AT present in accord with this pro-
gram. and while we fully recognize
your perfect right to oppose II, we very
vigorously object to your characterizing
as false figures which are carefully
compiled from the official sources OF IN
formation of the State government"
The letter Of Mr.. Wickersham brought
forth a long analysis of the number OF
state positions and employees in the
state service from Mark Graves. direc-
tor OF the state Board OF Estimate and
Control. lie said that the Governor s
statement that not less than 500 em-
ployees lost their positions last year Is
wen within the margin OF safety and
,rat I'm addition many hundred vacant
positions were abolished.
approximately 2.324 positions were
abolished by the Legislature OF 1871
said Mr.. Graves. That does not mean
that 2.s24 state employees lost their
iobs on July 1. 1921. but Il does imply
that that number were severed from the
a. N1..t tnaf