The New York herald., 1922-01-05

manent Improvement or capital expendi-
turc budget. 1t is not practical for the
Legislature or it's committees thoroughly
to examine into the almost infinite de-
tails of the former during a Legislative
session. The latter involves broad cues
tions OF policy which the Legislature
should have ample time to consider. The
former should. for the most part, follow
principles or rules susceptible of uniform
application. The items of the capital
expenditure budget have to be studied
each upon its own merits. 1t should be
possible, by thorough cooperation be-
tween the department heads and the
budget organization. to reduce the ex-
pense budget to its lowest terms before
submitting It to the Legislature. For
the reason stated, that has not been done
this year The capital expenditure or
permanent Improvement budget should,
in my opinion, be submitted practically
as requested.
I'm my opinion economy and efficiency
can be promoted by a consolidation OF
the Department OF Public Works and
the State Engineers office and possibly
by including some other departments
whose work is related thereto, such as
the Department of Highways. State
Architect and the Department OF Public
Buildings. Various plans have been
suggested for the consolidation of two
or more of those departments. Such
consolidation cannot be effected without
constitutional amendment as the Su-
perintendent of Public Works and the
State Engineer and Surveyor are con-
sttutional officers. Were there no con-
stitutional restraints in the way, I am
not certain what plan of reorganization
I should recommend. The problem is
one which has to be worked out with
great care and In such manner as to
profit by the lessons of experience.
| Wherefore do not think it wise to at
tempt a reorganization by constitutional
| amendment Instead I recommend
constitutional amendment which will re-
move the present restraints and make it
possible for the Legislature to provide
! for the consolidation and reorganization
| OF any two or more OF those depart
ments in such manner as to admit of
needful changes from time to time as
| experience may suggest.
Saving in State Printing.
| II renew the recommendation made
| last year that all personal service except
| of temporary character be provided
for in the appropriation bill and that
payments for personal service out of
| special funds be permitted only OF the
| approval Of the Board of Estimate and
| Control.
'.The powers OF the State Printing
! Board were, by cl' cpter 337 Of the Laws
! OF 1921, transferred to the Board of Es-
innate and Control with additional pow
ers. BY the elimination Of unnecessary
printing and superfluous matter in re-
ports and bulletins and by regulating
the quantity and the distribution of re-
ports measures have already been taken
] IT.
mental printing OF more than $4,000
| five times the cost of the entire orsani-
zation set up by the Board Of Estimate
and Control. A study of our printing
laws and practices discloses that still
further marked economies can be ef-
fected by changes in the law. All de-
! partmental printing now has to be
awarded in single contract. The result
! is the elimination Of competition. There
are many different classes of work
which do not have to be done il
Albany. Although the State has print
| ing plants in at least two State institu-
tions well equipped to do certain classes
| of work, the work that can be done
by them is limited by statute. I recon-
mend that the present restrictions In
the statute upon printing in State in
stitutions be removed and that the
| printing law be amended SO as to au-
| tnOTlSe tlle BOdTu OF cStlfllate ana CON-
troll to determine what shall constitute
printing and what shall be considered
supplies and to group departmental
printing into those classes into which
| ii naturally falls and to advertise Tor
bids for separate contracts for depart
mental printing for groups or classes
| of printing. 1t will thus be possible
to introduce real competition in the
bidding for departmental printing and
to give those best equipped for doing the
different classes of work an opportunity
to bid for the same. I also recommend
that all printing be placed under the
Jurisdiction of the Board OF Estimate
and Control.
Centralized Purchasing.
I'm my, opinion the one Improvement
in existing methods offering the great
est hope Of substantial economy is a
centralized method of purchases for all
departments and institutions.
There are three institutional groups.
the insane hospitals. charitable institu-
tions and prisons. each having its own
purchasing methods and there are
many departmental methods rs there
are departments. There 10 n , rchasing
committee composed of superintendents
and stewards for the hospitals and q
similar committee for the so-called
charitable group. Those committees
make consolidated purchases of part
only of the supplies used by each group.
The other supplies needed are purchased
by the stewards. The wardens OF the
prisons make the purchases for their
respective prisons on monthly estimates
approved by the Superintendent OF
Prisons. The purchases for the hos
n,tals and charitable institutions are
made on quarterly estimates approved
by the Hospital Commission and the
fiscal supervisor respectively. Unques-
tionnbly the best methods prevail In
the institutional groups and ccmpari-
son of purchases indicates that the best
results are obtained in the group havini,
the largest purchases TO make, namely,
the state hospitals. There has been a
great Improvement in the purchasing
methods of those institutions. The ex-
nenditures for supplies OF those three
gro,,ps during the fiscal year ending
.Jure 30. 1921, from appropriations and
from speclal funds for the purchase oi
row material for manufacture amounted
20 si3 7sS 124. 49, or that total about y
nov cont. was made centrally and the
VALANCE was made in the quantities re-
ou,red by each one OF the thlrty-eigh'
,netitutions separately. all of the pIr-
chases for the prisons being made In
that manner.
Where Savings Can Be Made.
In other words, ~ per cent. OF the
n,,rchases we're made to meet the re-
a,,irements OF the Individual institutions
4 tabulation OF the cost OF forty-sever
standard commodities purchased by The