The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1948-01-08
Opened
tuesday Al Noon;
|SiIIers U~nopposed
Stute Budget Commission
Suggests Appropriations
TotoIIing 50 1000, 900.

tOt0sssH9 ~ E~~1f00V
JACKSON -~(SpeciaD- Mississip.
| pts l948 Legislature, faced with few.
| er organizing problems than in many
| years. came officially into beine
| at noon Tuesday, and started at once
to study a high stack of official re.
| ports from the various state de-
partments.
Probably of most interest among
| these-both to the solonS and the
taxpayers wa the voluminous re.
port of the State Budget Commits
sion, Suggesting" state appropria.
| tons totalling $91, 100000 in round
figures.
There were literally dozens OF
| other reports for the solons to study
; for each of the 90-odd state depart.
ments, agencies, bureaus and com.
missions is required by law to make
a biennial report of its activities ano
| explain how it spent its last appro-
| priation; more of interest, each is
| supposed to recommend any need
| ed changes in the laws covering its
| operations.
Organizing of this session was sim.
plified in the House by the fact that
no candidate appeared to contest
| Speaker Walter Sillers of Rosedale
seeking reelection. When Secretary
of State Walker Wood, as he is re-
uuired to do by the Constitution
"swore in the new members, they
went at once into the job of giving
Speaker Sillers a unanimous vote
and turned to the minor job of nam
ing a clerk, sergeant at arms anc
other lesser jobs.
In the Senate, aside from a brisk
scrap over the top elective post
President pro tenn, there was little
to halt organizational work anc
Lieutenant Governor-elect Sam
Lumpkin, of Tupelo, was at hand but
taking no active hand in affairs
pending his official swearing-ir
ceremony on January 10, the day
ahead of the governor and the same
day that all other elective state of
ficials begin their 1948-52 term.
A Joint session, as provided IN
the Constitution, was held early fol-
election of two officers; but since
neither of the incumbents had OPP
position, election was a Formally
for Postmaster Mrs. Tom (Lilllan)
Minyard and State Librarian Miss
Julia Starnes.
Later in the week, the two houses
slated a joint session to hear Cover
nor Wright make his outgoing" re-
port.
Since, as lieutenant governor, he
became governor upon the death OF
the late Governor Tom Bailey, Gov
ernor Wright is both outgoing and
incoming governor, his speech this
week reporting on state conditions
is expected to be fairly brief; his
real recommendations will come in
his inaugural speech January 20
when he begins a full term of his
own.
Because taxes affect every mis-
sissippian, there is probably more
interest in the budget commissions
report and recommendations thar
any other; this time Chairman A. II
Stone of the State Tax Commission
and assistant director of the bulge
(by law the governor is ex-officit
chairman) proposes no changes in ia,
laws as they now stand; the bulge
as presented is based, MI. Stone says
on the best possible forecasts" O.
what present tax laws will bring dur
ing the next biennium-which, Incl
dentially, does not start until Jul.
l of this year, running to July
1850. under the states fiscal yea
setup.
Mr.. Stone estimates that tax law
| will bring the state about $99,200,000
or about $150,O00 more than for thu
current biennium. Of this, $4,000,
900 would come from taxes admins
tered by the State Tax Commission
most of which are Excise" taxes