The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1923-02-01
EARLY REPORTING Of
BUDGET BILL IS HOPE
Cuts in Appropriations All Along
the Line Are Predicted
For Measure.

the Line Are Predicted
For Measure.
Olympia.-(S Special Assurance that
the appropriations committees OF both
the senate and house would be able
raxt week to present the biennial bud.
get bill that provides funds for the
support of the state government and
its necessary institutions was given as
The legislature began the fourth week
OF It's session. The senate completed
its investigations and was ready for
conferences with the house committee
Nv the end of the last week and leaders
IN both chambers expressed the hope
that negotiations this week should re-
au,t in bringing out the bill. 1t may
50 ,mnossible to agree on all items or
An all matters of policy. but in the
main the two committees are in accord.
while details of the bill will remain
n..tt,ed until the conference end it is
generally agreed that the budget Will
I. .hnv . reduction all along the line.
r ,ome particulars the cuts will be
drastic, but leaders in the appropria-
.,ore committees claim that none of
the appropriations will be slashed
deeply enough to seriously embarrass
any department.
inside the committees there have
been numerous clashes on the Ques
ton of salary reductions and this fight
may be carried onto the floor. There
seems, though, disposition to place a
limit on the amount of money that
shall be paid to employees Of the state
Oppose New state Functions.
The attitude Of the legislature In
opposition to the creation of any new
governmental functions that involve a
drain on the treasury has become thor
oughly understood In the lobby. The
State Federation of Women's Clubs
that planned to ask for 100000 to
reopen the women's Industrial home
and clinic held = meeting In Olympia
last week, formally recognized the de.
mand for economy and voted not to
ask for the money at the present SEES
sion. This attitude Of the women was
promptly recognized In the house
where concurrent resolution paying
tribute to the women's cooperation In
the fight for tax reduction was prompt
~ introduced with Speaker Mark e.
Reeds approval.
If the appropriations committees
succeed in bringing in the budget bill
next week they will establish new
precedent and will very likely for all
time break up the practice of holding
back the budget until the closing
hours Of the session. Later on this
year will come In bills providing for
the revolving funds and appropriating
the moneys from selfsupporting funds.
IN fact the appropriations Of the ses-
sion will be carefully classified SO that
the public generally will understand
Just how much provision Is made for
every phase of state government and
how much is raised by direct taxation.
Road Program Takes Shape.
The road and bridges committees
program also 10 taking shape. The
state highway committee, composed of
Governor L. F. Hart, Treasurer C. L.
Babcock and Auditor G. w. Clausen,
filed their recommendation for re-
vision of the state highway system last
week. but these may not be acted upon
until questions Of tax levy and bien-
NAL appropriations for. road construc-
ton are agreed upon.
However, there now are bills in the
two houses that repeal the mill levy
for the public highway fund Estate
system) and the permanent County
ADD highway fund levy of q mill and
. half; another for the repeal of the
Donahue road law; third reducing
the county road and bridge fund levy
to 3 mills and road district levies to z
mills and another increasing the tax
on gasoline from one to two cents q
gallon. Repeal of the public and per-
manent highway fund levies would cut
more than $2.75O,O0O off the annual
state tax levy. The increase in the
sasoline tax would add approximately
100000 year which would be spent
on the improvement Of roads In the
state highway system.
Highway Bill Strikes snas.
The administration bill appropria-
ting 100000 for highway maintenance
work between January and April l
struck another snag In the house last
week and had to go over until Wednes-
day Of this week. Under the law the
maintenance fund lapsed on January
!. unexpended balances going to the
treasures of the counties to which It