The Republican., 1933-03-02
BUDGET SLASH PROPOSED
in GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Recommends Heavy Cuts For
Salaried Officials, Colleges and
the Public Schools
1 PERCENT TAX ON BETS

Maryland's governmental ex-
penditures will be reduced an
other $5,646,712 during 1884
and 1885 and tax rates in the
counties will be lowered on a
scale varying from approximate
ly 80 cents per $100 to approx
mately $1.38 per $100 under the
program for retrenchment and
new revenue, laid before the
General Assembly by Governor
Richie last weekend. The low
ering of the budget was forced
upon the Governor by the stand
taken by the County Commits
sioners' Association and the de-
mand made by that body for re-
trenchment in State and county
expenditures.
The Governor recommended in his
revised budget that the outlay for the
next biennium be cut from $62, ,759,-
174.80, provided in the original bud
get, to $57,112, ,462.80.
At the same time the Governor ad-
vocated reallocation of funds and a
one percent tax on all race track bets
to supplement the budget reductions
in creating total "poop of $3,000,-
900 annually with which to bring tax
relief to the counties and unemploy-
ment relief to Baltimore City.
Under this program Garrett county
would be able to make reduction in
the tax rate of $1.00 on the county
tax and 3 cents on the State tax. At
present the county rate is SLIGO and
the State rate is 25 cents, leaving a
total tax of so cents for both county
and state charges if the budget is
adopted by the General Assembly.
Governors Proposals
The fundamental principles of the
Governors program were as follows:
1) A graduated scale of salary
reductions, ranging from ten to fif-
teen per cent, estimated to produce
$248,536.
(2) A sweeping 40 per cent. re-
duction in all appropriations for the
University of Maryland.
(3) Reductions of 10 per cent on
departmental operating expenses,
three to five per cent on instrumental
operating expenses, and further fiat
reduction of 10 per cent on the total
budgets of all departments and insti-
tutions.
az Included in the above is elm
ination of the 25 additional State po-
lice requested by the motor vehicles
commissioner.
(5) Reduction of $528,025 in the
public schools allowances. This in
cludes cutting the costs of normal
schools at Frostburg and Salisbury
in half and elimination of many of the
county supervisors.
(6) Reduction of $4,000 in the
amounts expended on State-aided in
stltutions.
(7 Diversion of $304,078 in motor
vehicles fines from road funds to tax
relief purposes.
(8) Imposition of one per cent
tax on all race bets-acceptable to
track officials, according to the Gov
ernor-to raise 100000 for tax relief
purposes.
100000 For Reserve Fund
The program would produce S., AGO.
600, but under the executives plan,
100000 would be used to set up a
reserve fund to be thrown into the
breach if any of the recommended
cuts should prove so drastic as to
cripple state activities. Of the 3d.
100000 remaining, $1,50O,OO0 would
be used to provide carrying charges
and sinking fund for bond issue for
unemployment relief in Baltimore
City. An equal amount would be all
lotted to the counties on a popula'
ton basis to enable the counties par
ticipating in the schoo Equalization
fund to reduce their 67-cent school
levies to Al cents.
Senator ]. Allan Coad (Dem., St
Mary's), who started out his consid'
Grafton of the budget as member OF
the Finance Committee with the as
sertion that $1,OOO,OOO or $1,5OO,OOO
could be cut out of the appropriations
for 1884 and 1885, said he would not
comment on the Governors program
until he had time to study it.