Milford chronicle., 1939-01-06
GOV. MCMULLEN
URGES ECONOMY
IN HIS MESSAGE
continued IRON First Page,

Governor McMullen devoted mos
of his message to finances, pointini
out the problems confronting thu
State and making some suggestions
as to solving them.
mo public service can be render
ed" he said, without paying for it
and we are the ones to meet the
bill and not our children and oul
children's children" He expressed
his disapproval of Capitalization oi
power" but said he believed there
should be a definite head to any bus
mess or government enterprise di-
recting the operation of the several
branches constituting the whole"
Discussing the budget directors
Governor McMullen declared Il find
the various departments operated in
a reasonably efficient manner, but |
am strongly of the opinion that they
can be operated and maintained at
much less cost to the taxpayer"
Would Pay Budget Directors
He asked that the directors, one
of them with auditing experience, be
paid. have powers substantially
similar to those of the Bank Com
missioner" and serve terms at the
pleasure of the Chief Executive.
The Governor held that "the
amounts saved under such a system
would many times compensate the
cost of administration"
He termed the present system in
adequate" because the directors do
not have time to study departments
thoroughly, and so "are not in po-
sition intelligently and accurately to
recommend a program that we can
say is efficient and economical"
Praises Maryland System
Election laws of Maryland, he said,
might well serve as a model for
Delaware.
"If new appropriations are made
by you," he said, "correspondingly
higher taxes must follow. Nothing is
free and the costs of satisfying such
demands must always be included
in the tax bill"
He said mo appropriation should
be made without providing its corre-
spending source of revenue"
Reviewing the relief problem OF
last year, the Governor said, Il un-
derstand that the sum of 100000
is considered a conservative figure
for the next biennium.
Il do not consider relief a general
fund item, and urgently request that
you enact legislation whereby at
least 100000 will be made available
foreach fiscal year of the next bien-
MUM to meet the necessary needs of
our people"
Suggests Bond Issue
The Governor suggested a bond
issue of 100000 be created to pay
back to the highway fund the money
borrowed in the last two years by
the general fund.
More than a third of the biennium
message was given over to detailed
explanation of State finances, par
ticularly the general fund and school
fund.
If an estimated cash balance of
$314,30S.17 in the general fund by
June 80. 1889. is applied to commit
ments. such as the highway borrow
ings, he said. the fund will:
Have a deficit for the fiscal year
beginning July 1. 1889. of S646,77S.71.
Have a deficit of $677 7,829.51 for
the fiscal year beginning July /, 4
1910.
If, the Governor summed up,
usual supplementary appropria-
tions are made and 1941 legislative
costs and possible relief require
ments are included, the general
fund is theatened with an operating
deficit for the biennium of $1,324,-
6Os.22."
School Fund Drop Seen
As for the school fund, Governor
McMullen foresaw a drop in the /
cash balance from S2,909. .652.99 July |
1. 1889, to $2,192,527.27 at the end
of the biennium, a cut of nearly 25
per cent.
In income for that fund. 81 ex-
pect a decline of at least 100000 in
income taxes and 100000 in fran
chise taxes. causing total decline
of 100000 for each fiscal year be-
ginning July l. 1889, and July l,
1940."
He asked the Assembly to provide
a laboratory and chemist in the
heart of the growing broiler indus
try in Sussex county, costing about
$4,000.
Proposes Vice Chancellor
The Governor asked the Legisla
tors to weigh thoroughly any re-
quests for new buildings or perma-
nent improvements, both as to their
cost and operation, lever bearing i'm
mind how difficult it is at present
to balance our accounts"
He suggested an office of vice
be created either by stat
utory enactment or constitutional
and called attention to
an amendment providing for a sepa-
rate Supreme Court that must be
acted upon favorably by this session
1f the General Assembly to become
law
The message also presented re-
1uest for an appropriation to give
Delaware suitable representation"
's "the first state at the Worlds
Fair"
STAYTONSVILLE