Evening star., 1946-01-14
Darden Offers
Record Budget
0fS318,115,804
Warns Of Virginia Tax
Rise; Recommended
Sum to Drain Surplus
sy the Associated Press.


RICHMOND, JAM. 14-A record
breaking State budget carrying to-
tai appropriations of $318,115, ,8O4
and representing an increase of
more than one-fourth over the cur
rent biennium was recommended
by Gov. Darden today for the two
years beginning July l.
In submitting the measure to the
General Assembly, the Governor
warned that new taxes probably
would be necessary for 1948-50 to
continue the services recommended
in the budget, or to finance any ex-
panded services. He suggested that
eff it is considered inadvisable to
. grant the inevitability of this early
additional taxation, the appropria-
tons I am recommending for the
1946-48 biennium should be reduced
now"
The proposed expenditures would
include all but S913,005 of a gen.
eral fund surplus of $18049, ,05O ex-
pected on June 80, from which S.
A3,595 would be used to meet
urgent needs" for larger recurring
expenses of the State Government.
Sc More Than Revenues.
TN other words" the Governor
explained in an analysis of his rec
concentrations to the legislators,
expenditures are proposed per
cent in excess of the anticipated re-
ceipts for the 1946-48 biennium."
Revenues and accumulated bal
ances available for appropriation
from all funds were estimated for
, the biennium at 1919, ,152, ,489. The
proposed appropriations represent
an increase of $68,718,825 over 1914
IS, or 271a per cent. Principal fac
tors in this big jump are additional
highway funds, an increase in Al
coholic Beverage Control Board re-
ceipts beyond budget estimates, and
larger general fund appropriations
for schools, health. welfare, mental
hygiene and hospitals.
The Governor cautioned that rev.
enues for general State services are
headed downward in the postwar
period and estimated that the rev.
enues of the States general fund
would amount to $45, $3.50 500 for the
first year of the biennium and $43.-
166,2oo for the second compared with
1924 1886 in 1944-45 and $48,346, ,295
estimated for the current fiscal year.
S64,67S, $50 for Highways.
However, there were exceptions to
the predicted drop in revenues, such
as the State Highway Departments
road funds. The Governor estimated
that the highway revenues for the
bienpium would total s65, ,798 OO0I
compared with the 1944-46 esti-
mates of $40,626,000.
The recommended appropriation
of $64, ,67s, $50 for highway purposes
would include <32 ,835 $50 for con-
struction of State highways; ST.
000, 900 for construction and mainte-
nance of secondary highways; S.
100000 for maintenance; $2,567 ,900I
for work by the State convict road
force, and $1,800,000 for construc-
tion and maintenance of city streets.
The recommended general fund
appropriation for recurring expenses
of State government is $94, ,648, 300 for
the two years, an increase of $13,-
238,064, of which s4,216,18 will goI
for the State Board of Education;
$i,366,375 for colleges and univer-
stiles, and $1,661 1868 for teacher and
State employe pensions and retire
ment.
Other major increases are 81 ,247,-I
1l0 for care of the mentally i'll and
defective; $500, ,480 for public assist
ance and welfare; $875,59o for pub
lie health, $841,173 for penal admin
lstration, and $685. ,995 for agriculture.
The proposed budget also would
make the wartime bonuses" al
lowed the lower and middle-income
State employees part of their regu-
lar base pay rates, because OF the
increased living costs, at an esti-
mated annual cost of $500, 900, and
provide salary increase for 10 other
State officials, mostly in the $4,000
bracket where no increase has been
made since 1885, Three outside
this category, however, are a $500
increase proposed for the superin-
tendent of public instruction, an
Office now held by DR.. Dabney S.
Lancaster, which would boost his
annual salary to $4,000; an increase
from $500 to S8,750 for the state
health commissioner, who now is
DR.. I. c. Riggin, and an increase
from $4,000 to $4,000 for Attorney
General A. P. Staples.
"FiScaI Condition Healthy"
Increase of $500 above their war
time pay to $4,000 a year would be
authorized for 13 other State Off
cials, and the pay of three would be
adjusted upward $50 a year.
Gov. Darden emphasized that in
the approaching years the State
must prepare for peacetime econ
omy.
Since, in the war period, State
Indebtedness was wiped out by
transfers from surplus, and other
surplus revenues were largely ap-
propriated for permanent improve
ments at State institutions, the fis-
cal condition of the State at this
moment is healthy one"
The public school program ac-
counts for large share of the huge
budget. To continue the increases
in teacher salaries, Gov. Dardenl
recommended $31, ,800, 600 for the twol
years, an increase over the appro-
priations made by the Assembly ses-
sions Of 1944-45 of s4,359, 900. On al
teacher unit basis, this proposed
appropriation, with the addition of
capitation taxes and interest on the
Literary Fund, would amount toI
sl,l00 the first year and $1,140 the
second.
Other general fund appropriations
recommended for public school pur-
poses amount to $11 1,544, 900, increas-
Ing funds for vocational educationI
by $l,131, 900, special supervision byl
S325, 200, special and adult educa-
ton by $4,000, and supervisingl
principals by 100000.
s47.s22,slo Total for Schools.
Including $4.157, ,6s5 recommended
for teacher retirement, capitation
revenues, interest from the Literary
Fund, and 100000 for teacher
retirement from the principal of,