White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-03-16
Reporter Discusses
Work Of Legislature
BY Jimmie X. Browne


a platform to reduce the cost of gov
eminent and Gift the burden of tax
alton from the shoulders of the peo-
ple", it left Olympia after having
passed in the way of appropriations
the greatest sums ever handled by
previous sessions.
The actual general appropriations
will total approximately more than
$100,000,000, taking everything into
consideration.
Out of this sum, however, can be
charged off appropriations such as 3d.
100000, medical aid; $2,6OO,OOO, rebates
of gas tax, and $22250OO, industrial
insurance awards. But it should be
remembered that every cent of this
money is actually paid by taxpayers
into trust funds. In other words, tax
payers dig into their jeans for this
money, even if they or someone else
gets it back. The state acts as tenn
porary trustee.
The highway appropriations amount
to $26, ,470, virtually every cent that
can be expected to be collected during
the coming two years The omnibus
budget carries more than $33,OOO,0O0
while the supplemental budget Tits
the lid for another $26,132,395, includ-
ing the gas rebates, medical aid and
industrial insurance which latter three
items total $12,825 900 in making up
the grand aggregate.
The legislature, through an early
action, placed the state on record as
sponsoring the common school fund to
the extent of $22,500000 and this
amount is carried in the budgets; $15,-
100000 in one and $7,50O,000 in the
other. The passage of the so-called
Showalter bill brought this about,
pledging the state to this tremendous
expenditure before the legislature could
work out program to get the revenue.
The result was the wild hurry and
scurry during the closing days to get
some kind OF an excise or privilege tax
across the boards. 1t also is responsible
for the chain store tax bill and many
J other measures digging into the tax
payers pockets.
A survey of the legislative activities
show that insofar as attempting to
lift the burden of taxation and re-
duce the cost of government, only one
bill was enacted, Substitute House Bill
TT, which repealed the road and
bridge levies of the counties, thus saw
ing total tax of around $3,35O,OOO.
But to offset this and the $5,00O,0 900
savings the governor forced into his
own controlled departments, the addi-
tional drain from the schools will more
than eat it up and require sum al
most four times as large as the saw
ings.
The roads and bridges committees
of the Senate and the House found
that after all drains had been made
against the motor vehicle funds the
amount left for construction work dur
ing the coming two years was so small
it was not worth fighting over. AS a
result, the available funds, $7OOO,OOO,
were turned over in lump to the di-
rector of highways for his handling
It was a few days after this action
that Governor Martin announced the
appointment of Lacey MurroW, district
engineer at Spokane, as director OF
highways succeeding Samuel j. Humes
Mr.. Murrow takes Office March 20, AND
will hustle along the work which viii
have to be done.
The appointment of MIR. MurroV
follows years of service with the state
He was first connected with the de.
partment when James Allen was state
engineer. Since that time he remained
with the department, rising from
| chairman to the post Of district en-.
gineer and now to the dictatorship. i
is one of the few examples in politics
where youngster by reason OF abilit!
was carried through Democratic ant
Republican administrations, from tn
bottom to the top of the heap.
There has been little outstanding
legislation enacted during the las
sixty days. Private bills have FREEDOM
mated as usual The session being lib
eral minded, passed the boxing bill AM
legalized horse racing.
Three outstanding bits Of Legislation
forced through under the drive of Gov
ernor Martin and his advisors includes
the relief commission act, one of tn
best of the kind in the country; tn
new banking code, and the savings an
loan measures. On top of these the leg
, islature didn't hesitate to clothe tn
, governor with powers to act in the fl
nancial crisis. Several new bank law
were passed to broaden his contrt
: and power.
These will be the outstanding fea
lures of the session.
. It is doubtful If two men in the LEG
t islature fully appreciate just how will
!, the session was when it came to er
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