The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-01-25
!
 ,.s. BUDGET lS
 ADVOCATED
M 0 dern Accounting and Administrative System
 Are Badly Needed
lBy Jim Hnlchesonl

! Gov. hIneSL Gfuenlng told the 20th Alaska Legislature this after- noon he believed no new tax measures need be considered"
 While calling for a balanced budget Gruening declared If some additional revenues should in your
 judgment be needed they can. l feel confident be provided from within the existing tax framework
 Tn other high points of the hour long message, the Governor urged | intensified civil defense activity because of Alaska's location; pro- posed a civil defense compact with i neighboring Canadian territory and provinces; declared a drastic over- hauling of our accounting and fis- cal system is necessary" and re- commended moderniaing the Terri torial government through an ad- ministrative organization.
 Gruening suggested a change in laws to remove the governor from all 21 boards on which he serves except the Board of Administration and Board of Appeals. He reeom- l mended that the Legislature re- duce the Board of Administrations i finance-controllng activities by ! taking them over itself, and he sllg- l gested the possibility of the Terri l tory offering S10o00 incentive bonus 5or discovery qf uraaimn ln mineable quantities.
 Minerals stoekpiIe
 1 Tn view of the gold mining dol drums, the Governor proposed that the Legislature give serious con- 1 sideration to authorizing the Com, i missioner of Mines to purchase such strategic metals and minerals as may be found in Alaska for stock piling and resale Tine program would resemble federal metals re- serve company's wartime operations in such metals as antimony, trmg- sten, tin and copper.
 Said Gruening. This ore could be stockpiled i'll the Territory and resold to commercial markets or to federal government purchasing agencies when such agencies are established The Commissioner Of Mines deems $1O0,000 would be sufficient to carry the program for a two-year period
 Modernize Accounting Tn recommending revised fiscal and accounting methods. the Gov ernor said what is needed is an office which could be developed out of the Auditors office, or other wise as the Legislature sees fit, which will enable anyone interested to secure at any time, complete financial picture of the Territoly's business.
 No office has that responsibility now, either for securing this in- formation or making it available. There is no adequate accounting system for the Territory The Treasurer's Office, SIS was shown not long ago, has heretofore been without adequate auditing super vision or check upon 1t by any other Territorial agency.
 The Governor recommended cut ting responsibilities of the Board Of Administration while labelling it tough board for freezing funds.
 While the Board held the dike against heavy pressures,' he said. T feel in principle 1t IS wrong for six officials in the executive branch to be obliged to exercise, through control of purse. what is properly a legislative function.
 Optimistic On Finances
 The Governor sounded an optim- istic financial note. He said half dozen factors make it difficult to determine closely what the next bienniums income will be but we have largely recovered from fman- cial ills that plagued Us for four years"
 "The fact that we have drawn even with our obligations. he went on to say. gives great promise thaG our existing, moderate tax structure will meet our immediate and con- tinuing needs for long deferred school buildings. for educational re- quirements, for community hospital aid and public health services, for our pioneers, our aged and needy. Services necessarily curtailed may now, I believe be adequately pro-
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