Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-12


President ar the SENATE.
institutions are under fun legal and
hudgc'ary control of the Common
wealth
C"ntr"i of Non-BmdEctcd Depart
Incnts.
u WAS recommended IN the las:
budget that all tho revenues derived
from automobile licenses and from
registering titles 10 motor vehicles
should bc required by lax to be paid
into tho state treasury by IN" Score
tar% Of the Commonwealth, and the
necessary expenses of his Office in
handling this work b. provided for
| through appropriations" II was
further argued that under the exist
ing laws. tho expenses incident 20
handling this work are deducted from
the collections hy the Secretary OF
tn" Commonwealth and only the re-
naming balance deposited IN the
state treasury By this system the
General Assembly is deprived OF the
! opportunity TO review and approve
thes. expenditures before ,hcy arc
| Incurred. which should be changed"
! 80 action was taken by tho General
Assembly of 1920 on this rccoumcn-
cation although funds amounting to
! approximately "a million and a hal:
dollars year are involved. II WAS
thought advisable, Therefore. that the
budget survcyg in Ia20-2l made in
accordance with the requirements o.
the budget law, should lnclud. re-
survey OF the non budErtcd state
agencies. The office o. the Secretary
Z, he. m L..
these special studies.
The conclusion again reached was
that the freedom OF the automobile
iEcnsc division OF the Office of Tho
Secretary %. the Commonwealth from
hudgetary control is contrary TO the
principles of ethcicn; government"
INC Secretary of the Common
wealth. the survey repor, sets out.
may employ at his pleasure all per
sons necessary I" carry on the work
%! the automobile division and may
pay such salaries as he deems proper
| and necessary. Every month tho re-
cc'p's OF this division. less the ex-
penditures for operation, are turned
over 1" tho treasurer.
While th!S freedom from budget
arg control may prove satisfactory
! as now administered, set as GENERAL
practice II Is open to serious criticism
| because Of the possibilities of abuse
| In the Genera! Assembly rests ;l,a
| power and the right to dec!d, in what
| manner the public funds should bc
d!sburscd. Salaries should he GN.d
| by the General Assembly in accorl-
ancc with general policy adopted
for all state departments TIL. mower
OF fixing salaries by dcpart,nent
heads may result In untairncss to ON
ploycs of other departments and as n
consequence become "A source of dis
satisfaction throughout the whole
service.
While present salaries in the au.
iomobiie division are moderate. there
IS nothing [" prevent the payment of
excessive salaries. In m cror, to
obtain the salary roll Of the division.
the check book was the only eourc.
of Information. 40 list OF employees.
together with list OF salary rates
was available
1t is believed that the business
transacted by all State departments
shou!d receive its authority from the
cehtGai source. namely. the General
Assembly and the Governor. both re-
spohsibic to the people for the policies
ana the administration OF tho state
government. Ii is. therefore, recon-
'ncndcd that the funds for the opera
tlon or the automobile division he an
propriated in accordance with the
authorized budGctary procedure Of
the state government"
reference 10 the act approved Sen
TENDER ., 1919. shows that all fees
and licenses collected :or automo,iye
vehicles shall he paid into the state
treasury. except that the Secretary of
the Common wealth shall deduct
thcrefrom the necessary expenses in
cident 10 the cost OF PURCHASING num-
Der plates and mailing the same, and
the expense Of necessary clerical as
s!stancc."
The practice permitted under the
provisions OF this law Is contrary To
all principles Of efficient and re-
s1onSiolc government. aid should be
corrected. 1t is therefore recon-
mendcd that all receipts from all
sources collected by the Office OF the
Secretary Of the Commonwealth he
deposited promptly with the state
treasurer with no deduction OF amy
kind being made.
To garry this recommendation INTO
effect specific appropriations are ear
ried in this budget for the work OF
licensing automobiles and registering
titles payable out OF the State High
way Maintenance aud Construction
Fund by warrants drawn on the Audi
tor of Public Accounts by the Score
tary of the Commonwealth.
For the year ending February Is.
1923. appropriations arc recommend
cd Cor this service amounting to sIl5.-
$50. and for the year ending February
%. 1924. To sl20.2s5: a total for the
two years of ss36.lG5, as against csti-
mated expenditures by the Secretary
of the Commonwealth OF S292.2G5.
Among the other non budgcted
state departments recommended In
the l920-l922 budget TO be brought
fully within the budget system are
the Department Of Game and Inland
Fisheries. tho industrinl Commission
OF Virginia and the Bureau of Insur-
ance and tho Banking Division of the
State Corporation Commission. The