Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-19
for this deficiency of over s25o,ooo

FOR this deficiency Of over $3.50. OOO
in our current needs.
The point which Immediately con-
Germs US is the protection of the
credit and the Continuance of the &C
ttvities Of the State by some proper
and legal provision for settlement OF
these obligations as they shall arise
IN the past few years such a prob
lem has not given especial concern
because of the very substantial
balances at all times existing in the
Contingent Fund. but with the dis
appearance of this Fund the problem
becomes immediate and its adjust.
ment cannot be delayed
Outstanding bills are as follows:
History of the Old Forts of Maine
authorized during the past
year as an emergency need
not provided for by the
Legislature, but for which
no funds We're made avail
able for settlement at which
time the obligation was in
curred) ...::.:............$ S.574.1+
Expenses of Military Reser-
vations. similarly author
lied but not provided for. I973.27
Fire proof vault in the
State House ............... 945.5;
Brick yard at the State Re-
formatory for Men 5,4l3.O,
Plans for Administration
Bullding for the Reforma-
tory for Men. (The Trustees
of the State Reformatory
for Men secured plans for
this building after confer
ence with the previous eX-
ecutive. n dispute APP
parently exists as to
whether or not this liability
was authorized by the Ex-
ecutive Department. 1t is
believed that this matter
should be determined by a
proper committee of the
Legislature without preju-
dice to the position of
either the Claimant or the
State) .....:...:......... a,5s7.44
, Store Houses in the rear of
the State House ............20,592 O(
(Funds were set up from
the Contingent Fund in the
, amount OF $9O.72S.00 to
provide for these buildings,
but contracts were then
authorized for their con-
. struction in an amount ex-
, ceeding this ALLEGATION by
| $50, $1,000
$35,085.4i
In addition there are eX-
listing over drafts of 9O.1O2.7,
! and other bills payable for
/ which no appropriations
are available of ,362. 81
Making a Total ....s146,55o.7l
Aside from the obligations fol
which there was no Legislative
authorization the most immediate
problems are in connection with the
Maine State Prison and the State
Board OF Charities and Corrections.
The Department of Education ha.
obligations of, approximately $1,000,
in connection with certain new con.
| struction carried out in the last 81,
| months, for which no funds are now
available to make payment, bu
these Will~not increase. 1t is be
lieved that there will be lapses IL
this department at the end of tn,
! current fiscal year sufficient to take
care of these unauthorized eXpendi
, lures, but this is obviously evadins
| the Legislative provisions for vari
Gus purposes, and there Is no au.
| thority for transfer Of these fund!
| at this time.
The Maine State Prison on Feb
LIST. was 'overdrawn on it's main.
tenance account by the sum of $780,.
least $4,000 will be needed tt
carry the Prison on for the mex
| Ave months!
| The State Board of Charities an(
Corrections have been given for til,
beard and care of neglected children
the sum OF $4,000, by. the Legis
lature for the current year. A
| portion OF these expenditures is re.
! coverable from the several munich
palities in the State. The Legisla.
ture has adopted the practice o.
making lump sum appropriation
for this purpose and crediting The
collections from the municipalities t.
| the general revenues. as appears boil
in the last budget report and in the
! statutory provision relating t.
| this matter.
There are certain reasons VIII,
| such a practice may be desirable ant
| 1t seems essential that the Legisla
tive mandate on this question should
be observed. 1t Is impossible through
the medium Of the Contingent
Fund to add the amounts collected
from the municipalities to the sum.
| which shall be disbursed for thu
care Of children, and still have thes,
dNdlEtDlC IOE SSItId
| revenues, We cannot spend thi.
money twice.
Az the situation exists today thi,
course has been adopted since thu
| expenditures for the current yeal
| for this Board have been on a basi:
| that would require the ALLEGATION tt
| this department of the collection!
| from the municipalities while at the
same time these collections are still
carried as prospective revenue:
available for general purposes.
In order to care for existing obi.
| cations and to carry on the States
| activities to which 1t is already
, committed for the current year II
seems necessary for immediate pro-
| vision to be made by emergency re-
solves in appropriate amounts. The
Executive Department will be Al
your service with all the information
at their disposal regarding i'm
mediate needs. "a
Meanwhile the question of The
State Contingent Fund ix one that 4.
properly giving our citizens seriou.
| concern. During the past ten years
the balances In this Fund at the enc
of each fiscal year We're as fol
lows:
Dec. 81, 1916 ........ $1o6,6146S
Dec. 81 1917 ........ 304 1900
Dec. 81, 1918 ........ 1926, 496.73
Dec. 81, 1919 ....... 647,16673
Dec. 81, 1920 ....... 7S6,150.24
June 80, 1924 ........ 1851 ,447.61