The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-03-26
Comptroller Gives Legislators
Estimates Of Fiscal Outlooks<
For BienIlillm OF 1910 1851
Thinks Too Much
Money Spent BY
Appointed Officials Not
Responsible TO Pablo
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TALLAHASSEE, March 26.--
Comptroller c. M. Gay today sub
mittesi TO the members OF the
l949 legislature his. estimates of
the present fiscal outlook for the.
state Of Florida, and certain sug-
gestions for possible improve
ments, as follows:
AS the constitutional fiscal Of
ficcr Of Florida for the past two
and half years have. made an
extensive and intensive study of
the states fiscal affairss
We have streanllined, CONSOLE;
dated and sirnplified the account
ing procedures lin the Cemptrol-.
ler's Office. Although sWe have.
made much progress there is
much more that could be ac-.
complished through cooperation;
Of the Legislature BY srevision Of
laws pertaining to collection and
distribution Of the states rev.
enue. ".
We have done about all that
we can do to bring about efficient
operation under existing laws.
AS an example OF what can be.
done, we have been able to save
substantially by prompt payment
Of bills, which has permitted the
taking of maximufl discount
where allowed on state pur-.
chases.
/ have recommended to the.
Joint House and Senate Tax Sur
yey Committee, and now recon-
mend to- the Legislature as a
whole, that all General Revenue
ear-marked funds be transferred
by law to- the General Revenue
Fund and that all departments of
general government be fin ced
out of the General Revenue Fund
and that they operate within
their budgets under more strin-I
gent supervision of the budget
Commission.
| recommend that all continu-
ing appropriations from General
Revenue be repealed and that no
future appropriations be made
for more than two years. cxcent
specific appropriations for b,,ild.
ings at the,U Universities and other
institutions. In other words, these
building appropriations $houidIlbe
entirely separate from all other
appropriations and sl1puid run
until such buildings have been
completed.
Since most of the Estates rev4.
enue is seasonal and most of the
appropriations have to be paid on
q monthly basis. there should be.
an operating reserve in the Gem
eral Revenue Fund Of not less
than $25.000.800 at the beginning
of each fiscal year. Otherwise
there will be. periods when, obi
cations cannot be met.
Following the trend of the
Federal Government, too many
departments and commissions
have been created in recent
years; some Of them without
proper control by elected con-
stitutional officials and the Legis-
lature. This trend SHOULD anot
only be stopped, it SHOULD be re-
versed.s
! am of the opinion that too
much authority is .vested in and
too much money spent by APP
pointed officials who are not re-
sponsible directly to tie people.
Great care should be taken to
preserve the Constitutional pro-
vision under which the ! credit of
the state cannot be pledged for
future obligations.
There is entirelN too much
overlapping of duties and too
much money spent in. collection
of the states revenue and too
many employees perforlhing nu-
merous duties of doubtful bene-
fit to the taxpayers Our state
government has grown too large
and is too complex to. be run in
haphazard manner. It can be
operated efficiently and If it is to
serve tho people and retain their
support and respect it must be
reorganized on a sounder and
more businesslike basis. To, the
end that this be accomplished,
stand ready to work with the
interested Legislative Commit
tees.
Heretofore there have been
numerous and widely differing
estimates and guesses. pertaining
to expected revenue and cash
balances by various elected and
appointed officials. all Of which
has been confusing to the Legis-
lature AND the taxpayers Often
times these estimates have had
political implications.
/ have no intention Of criti-
cling any particular person or
agency. These suggestions, based
on my study of our problems. are