Evening star., 1938-09-25
PRICE ANDPEERY
|NBUDGET JOUST
Governor Hints Revision
in Verbal Tilt With
Former Executive.
tN the Associated Press.

RICHMOND. Va. Sept. 24.-Gov.
Price and former Gov. Peery renewed
their spirited exchange over budget
recommendations today. and the Gov
ernor indicated strongly that he Is
considering q revision Of the Virginia
budget system. .....
In today's exchange of statements
former Gov. Peery took issue with
Gov Prices statement that Mr.. Peery
hadn't recognized the fact that an
old-age assistance act might be
passed" in submitting budget recon-
mendations to the General Assembly
last January.
In this he again errs," the former
Governor said. In my address of
January IL. 1898, I laid before the
General Assembly the report of the
commission on old-age assistance in
which passage Of an act was recon-
mended. Every one familiar with the
facts knew that an old-age pension
act would be passed in some form. I
could not reasonably anticipate what
the act would provide or what the
cost would be to the State"
Price Reiterates Statement,
When shown the Peery statement,
Gov. Price reiterated his statement
that all Of the States estimated rev.
enue and surplus, with the exception
OF $525 900, had been recommended
for appropriation, without any specific
provision for old-age assistance, in
the Peery budget submitted to the
Assembly before the Price inaugura-
ton.
Former Gov. Peery pointed out he
had recommended an Appropriation of
$2.O5O,OO0 for emergency relief and
mothers aid. and that the Assembly,
with the approval of Gov. Price had
very properly transferred it to the
Public Assistance Act. (Old-age AS
sistance is covered in the Public
Assistance Act.)
Not such bad nest egg,'" said
Mr.. Peery in referring to a previous
Price statement that Peery had left
him no nest egg in budget recon-
mendations.
Cares for Appropriation"
This continued the Peery state
ment with the unrecommended sur
plus. would practically care for the
appropriation for public assistance of
N,538,o00 for the first year and ST.
$4,000 for the second year, which
was later made by the general As
sembly with the approval of the Gov
ernor."
Gov. Price came back with this:
Every one who has had any legis-
lative experience knows that when
the various institutions and agencies
OF the State are familiar with the
proposed ALLEGATIONS, it is a most diff
cult matter to make any reductions or
adjustments in the recommended ap-
preparations. The effect of the budget
placed the full responsibility of financ-
Ing the old-age assistance upon the
incoming administration, either in re-
vlsing the estimates or imposing new
taxes.
incidentally, it took a special ses-
sion to provide for Unemployment in
surance and Virginia was the 4sth
State to inaugurate a program for old
age assistance, and 1t takes money to
do these things"
Space Declared Needed.
Former Gov. Peery, calling atten-
ton to the fact that Gov. Price had
disapproved his recommendation for
an addition to the State Once Build
ing. said it was imperative that addi-
tional space be provided for the high
way department. He added:
Il think the money should properly
come from the general fund. It. re-
mains to be seen whether 1t will come
from the general fund or whether
funds will be taken from the spe-
cial road funds for this purpose"
Gov. Price answered he felt the
problem of providing additional office
space would be properly solved"
In commenting upon the Peery
statement, made at Tazewell, Gov.
Price told newspapermen he had been
studying the States budget system for
several months and he held in his
hand report Of over 100 pages on
the subject. He did not make public
the contents of the report or its au-
thorship.
Exchange Is Two Days Old.
Under the system at present a re-
firing Governor, with the aid and ad-
vice Of budget commission, recon-
mends to the General Assembly appro-
priation Of the States revenues for
the next two years. Gov. Peery pre-
sented this to the General Assembly
on January II of this year, 4 week
before Gov. Price was inaugurated as
his successor.
The Peery-Price exchange began two
days ago when Mr.. Peery termed lin
correct and misleading a statement
attributed to Mr.. Price that all of the
revenue and surplus except about
100000 had been appropriated when
he took ONCE. Gov. Price said he did
not remember making the statement,
but II he did it was Substantially
correct" Gov. Peery said today it
was made at Price speech in Au-
gust at Radford)
Former Gov. Peery pointed out that
the appropriation bill was not passed
until weeks after Gov. Prices inaugu-
ration. Gov. Price said this was cor
rect, but that he had to revise tenta-
tive ALLEGATIONS recommended by the
retiring Governor to find money for
old-age assistance and other matters,
including increased support Of schools.
He added Mr. Peery hadn't recognized