The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-27
STATE TO SPEND SIG, ,000 ,000 ON HIGHWAYS1
Macdonald Files Figures With
 Governor Cross
Three Million More Than Previous Fiscal Year-Re- ceipts From Motor Vehicles and Other Sources of Revenue Will Meet Budget as Outlined By Dept

Connecticut's highway program Tor the states fiscal year of 1930-31 will cost $16,66O.934, according to Highway Commissioner John A. Macdonald in his annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890 which was to-day submitted to Gov ernor Wilbur L. Cross. The entire estimates, will be covered by the re- ceipts of the department from motor vehicle income and other forms of revenue which automatically are re- ceived and expended by the high way department.
 The report is a voluminous com- pilation of extraordinarily wide scope. It shows in minute detail under seventy-one different head ings, schedules and exhibit the op- eration and the financing of the highway department. The account ing is certified by Griffenhagen & Associates and the state aduitors.
 The highway budget for the cur rent fiscal year, which is about three million dollars in excess of that of the previous year, includes among the larger items the following: for administration. laboratory, general maintenance, operation and main- tenance of draw bridges and ferries and arboriculture-$3,61 612, ,000; for the construction of trunk line high ways other than federal aid high ways-s2, ,600,000; for state aid con- struction-$2.0OO 1000; and for trunk line reconstruction other than fed eral aid-$2,50O,000. Other items in clude bridge construction, federal elimination of dangerous conditions, aid highway and bridge building, boundary surveys, new equipment, insurance, maintenance betterments and state aid payments to towns that have anticipate state aid funds.
 Commissioner Macdonald's report for the year ending June 30. 1880 shows that the net receipts of the highway department were $13.S49,- SS1 and the net expenditures, $13.- SO7,211.
 To have the income and expendi- lures so closely correspond, it was necessary for the highway depart ment to estimate accurately several months in advance the amount of receipts which would come to it from the motor vehicle department. Highway expenditures are made al- most entirely during the spring and summer construction season, while the major income does not arrive until registrations are renewed in December and driving licenses in February. The highway department because of this is forced to borrow from the states general funds to an amount it estimates will equal its in- come.s In the year reported upon, the department borrowed from those funds s2,0O0,000. repaid the sum within the stipulated time and through careful estimating attained an almost perfectly balanced budget.
 This balancing of the highway budget was accomplished despite the fact that the average annual in- crease in motor vehicle receipts was barely maintained. The increase in revenues as compared with the year of 1929-3O was approximately one million dollars.
 Comr missioner Macdonald refers specifically to two items in his re- port, that concerning federal aid re- ceipts, which dropped from $1,O59,- 4G1 last year to $324,271 in the year ending June 30; and that concerning receipts from towns on account Of state aid construction, which shows a substantial increase.
 The drop in federal aid is not sig nihcant. he states, because during 192S-29 many cooperative state and federal projects were undertaken and highway income from the na- tional government naturally in- creased. while the 192930 construc- ton program did not involve many