New-York tribune., 1922-03-14
$l22,O25,l98
Appropriations
Signed bv Miller
Declares Total L. Low Point
to Which Stale ENpcndi-
lures CAN Be Reduced. Ex-
cepting Unusual Demands
Cites Old Extravagances
Insists Budge, Will BE We'll
Under Last Years De.
spite Added Expenses

ALBANY, March 13.-Governor Mil
]er announced to-day the signing Of the
annual appropriation bill, amounting
to Sl02,857, Gil, at the same time ac-
knowledging "thc painstakng, con
scientious and discriminating work of
the legislative committees" which en-
abled him to sign the measure just as
it came to him.
A statement by the Governor also an
nounced the signing Of appropriation
bills, mostly for highway construction
and maintenance, amounting to $19,-
l6',5S7, making q total of appropria-
tions signed to date of S122 2,O25,19S.
That amount said the statement.
Undoubtedly approximatcs the low
point to which it is possible to reduce
the regular expenditures of the state
government, not taking into account
unusual demands such as the S5,50O,-
GOO required to complete the states
share of the proposed contract eeor the
construction of the New York New
Jersey vehicular tunnel yet to be pro-
vided for.
Further Economies Possible
II do not say that further economies
may not be effected Constant study
and vigilent watchfulness will always
disclose opportunities to apply i'm
proved business methods, but anv re-
sulting economies will be more than
absorbed by the inevitable increases
required to meet expanding needs
There have been necessary increases in
some appropriations this year, the
most notable being an increase of
S2,417,365 for education"
The Governor said that but for "un-
expected requirements" the Legislature
would easily have reduced the expendi-
lures of the state below SIPS, 600 900,
the sum which was set as the goal to
be striven for. He also referred to
the extravaganza of former years"
"It has been possible" the statement
continued, "to meet these increases and
to provide for all unusual demands
and still make a reduction in total
expenditures only because the extrava-
gance of former years afforded still
further opportunity to extend the
economy program inaugurated last
year"
After analyzing the purposes for
which the s122, ,o25 1893 already appro-
priated is to be spent, the statement
discussed some other appropriations
still sought, which may make it posi-
bic to reduce the direct state tax only
one mill instead of one and one-half
mills, as had been hoped for
The statement said
There are, however, n number Of
other meritorious demands of an un-
usual or temporary character, such as
the requirement for the New York-New
Jersey vehicular tunnel contract If
provision is made for them it will be
possible to effect a reduction OF one
mill instead of mill and a half as
was hoped. In any case, it will be nee
essary to levy a direct tax of one-half
a mill for teachers salaries, in addi-
tion to the tax for debt service.
Will Benefit Real Estate
THAT will result in total reduction
of direct taxes of S15,055,7S9 as com
pared with 1920, and will give to real
estate already overburdened by local
taxation the benefit of the economies
IN the state administration
torebodings of impairment of state
service and neglect in the care of the
states wards also is answered in the
statement in this fashion,
1.-The elimination of nearly S7O,OOO.-
600 from the budget requests Of last
year caused many forebodings of i'm
pairment of service, Of neglect in the
case of the states wards, and of huge
deficiency appropriations this year.
"Comparative reports of the amount
and cost of work done by the different
departments made to me show that
more work has been done at less cost.
THE institutions all report sur
pluses.
The deficiency appropriations are
S6,Go0000 less than those of last year,
which not only proves the adequacy of
last years appropriations, but also
SHOWS that for purposes of comparison
that sum must be added to the appro-
prlatIons of 1920 and deducted from
those of 1921 to fairly measure the re
suit of the effort to introduce order,
efficiency and economy in the public
administration"
The prediction that the total state
budget will be less this year than last
year was made in this fashion:
Even with the unusual and unex-
pected requirements still to be pro-
| vlded for the total will be well under