The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-02-04
EXPENDITURES
In GOVERNMENT
ARE COMPARED
REPORT COMPILED REVEALS
DIFFERENT AMOUNTS Ex-
PENDED AND SERVICES
RENDERED

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Feb. 4
FNS).-Believe it or not, total
governmental costs, state, county
and city, were approximately
s50,O0O.OO0 higher in 1925 than
they were last year Under Cover
nor Cone. nas Hus7s
Walter P. Fuller, representative
from Pinellas county and we'll
known tax expert, explodes what
he terms the myth of increasing
cost of state government" In an
article to the ST. Petersburg Times
he shows the unfairneSS of COM
pairing the IA million dollars ex-
penditure for state go1ernment
under Governor Hardee with the
so millions spent by the state last
year, and shows that service for
service costs are considerable leSA
now than then.
, Of the so millions the state col
lected last year, Fuller states. %
millions were distributed back to
the counties and therefore did no.
represent cost of state govern
ment at all. Another three mil
lion was given by the Federal
government and spent on new
gadgets of governmental service
not existing at the time of Gov
.ernor Hardee. Another seven
millions represents increased
costs of state road construction
which in reality is merely trans
fer of costs from county to state
government.
That leaves approximately Is
millions spent under Cone against
Il millions under Hardee for APP
proximately the same govern
mental services rendered by the
state for its people. But there
were about a million people in
Florida when Hardee started gov
erning as compared with more
than I,6O0.0 900 under Cone. This
gives a S14 unit cost under Har-
dee as compared with a SD unit
cost under Cone.
Total government in Florida
state, county, city-cost in 1925
approximately Sl40,000,O 900. Last
year the cost was approximately
500, 1000, 900.
Discussing arguments for the
adjustment of useless boards
and commissions which do all
the wasting" of public funds.
Fuller says that they exist be-
cause our simple and elemental
constitution of 1888 did not pro-
vide for them. AS new duties and
responsibilities of government
have grown up, il has been neceS-
sary to provide for them by leg
isIation creating a board" to adj
minister duties not allOcated to
some constitutional officer.
There are all together So boards
maybe 60-depending on what
is called a board. OF that num-
Der IL are merely the cabinet Of
ficers on whom is saddled addi-
tional duties, such as the internal
Improvement board which admin
listers state lands; board of ad
rninistration which handles gaSo-
line money; board Of education,
etc. They cost no money except
trivial office expense, 50 abolish
ing them will save no money for
the taxpayers.
Another large group Of boards
are for various branches Of the
medical arts beauty culture. etc,
all of which are supported by fees
from those benefited. So there IS
no saving there Another large
group are honorary or minor in
character. They perform worthy
or important functions but cost
little or no money. The only
boards subject 20 debate. he
states. are the Board of Health.
Plant Board. Board of Control.
Highway Department. Liquor
Board. Conservation Board, La
Dor Board and Marketing Board.
Which Of these. ne asks. should be
abolished?
Just as private life grows more
complicated. he concludes. the
tools and ways Of industry, do
nestle science. pleasure. Occupa-
tons and science grow more num-
erous and complicated: just 50
does political and public life grow
more involved. More and more
do the people demand Of govern
ment And inevitably. the total
cost rises