The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-03-17
MOUNTING COSTS OF GOVERNMENT

When increased costs of government discussed usually the reference is to Federal costs, due of course to the fact that they national and are of interest to all States and Territories alike. The growth of Federal costs has been enormous in the past 15 years, but not abnormal than those of individual States. This is made clear in re- cent statement issued by the Bureau of Census ering financial subjects relating to State govern ments which in the year 193o shouldered costs of government aggregatng s229O27oo5e and had a net indebtedness totalng $183342787l
 The operation and maintenance of the general departments of the AS States for the fsal year clos ing December 30 1930, the latest complete fiscal year closing date prior thereto cost almost two and three-fourth times per capita what they cost a decade and a half ago the total sum being $1- 39o 505 636 or $1140 per capita This includes $366, 322898 apportionments for education to the minor civil divisions of the States In 1929 the per capita for operation and maintenance of general depart ments was s1O.78 and in 1917, s419. The payments for operation and maintenance of public service terprises amounted to $s,559634; interest debt s1o1 o598 and outlays for permanent improve ments, S788.774,191 The total payments for 1930 therefore were s229o 27Oo59 for 1929 $2O61 833 and for 1917. s5175O322O.
 There was an increase in apportonments for education of s28811.1o9 over those for 1929
 Interest charges also increased $7293926 over those for 1929
 Of the total government-cost payments 607 per cent was for the operation and maintenance of the general departments of the State governments; o4 per cent for the operation and maintenance of public service enterprises such docks and wharves canals warehouses, irrigation projects. etc. A per cent was for interest on debt and 344 per cent represented outlays for permanent improvements public buildings, etc).
 Of the payments for operation and maintenance of general departments 40 per cent was for educa- tion 1S1 per cent for highways; l6l per cent fol charities hospitals and corrections; 79 per cent ol general government; 5T per cent, for protection te person and property 54 per cent, for development and conservation of natural resources; 25 per cent for health and sanitation; CA per cent for recrea tion and S9 per cent for miscellaneous the latter including pensions to retired State employees aid tC soldiers and sailors mothers. and to other genera classes.
 The outlay payments for permanent improvements were principally for highways, constituting 8O5 pc cent of the total outlays The next in importance the outlay payments for charities. hospitals and corrections, amounting to S631l7652 and educa tion amounting to S4o091.l87
 The total revenue receipts of the government of the 4s States for 1880 were s224Sllo6S7 Thi was $7416l4819 more than the payments of tn year exclusive of the outlay payments for permanen improvements, but s47.15s,s72 less than the tota payments including those for permanent improve ments For the years 1926, 1927 and 1928 the State as whole had a surplus Of revenue receipts afte meeting all governmental costs including capita outlays for permanent improvements In 1880 ? States individually, not only balanced their budget but had surplus of revenue receipts after meetin all goyernmental-cost payments. For one State tn payments for operation and maintenance and inter est exceeded the revenue receipts Of the 23 State showing an excess of revenue receipts, 20 show reduction in their net indebtedness for the year.
 The total per capita revenue receipts were s1s3 in l930; $171l in 1929; and S514 in 1917.
 The principal items of revenue for l93o wer