Evening star., 1951-12-23
One Package Budget
Suggested in Overhaul
OF Maryland Finances
SobeIoff Commission
Offers Plan to Clear
Up Fiscal Program
By J. B. Zotmon

w aiSSob iOSsNh
BY J. B. Zotmon
A comprehensive one-package
State budget which explains in
detail the services each agency
provides the taxpayers is the only
way Maryland can put its finan-
cial house in order.
This is the major recommended
tion of the Commission on Ad-
ministrative Organization of the
State in a report on the State
budget system.
Headed by Simon Sobeloff, a
Baltimore attorney, the commits
sion was authorized under a reso-
luton passed by the 1851 General
Assembly in move to overhaul
the States creaking fiscal ma
chinery. &
Although the commission CEN
tered its fire on the present prac-
tice of having at least three sepa-
rate budgets offered by the Gov
ernor each year, it made several
other suggestions designed to clear
up the States muddled financial
picture. These include:
/. Discontinuance of the desig-
nation of certain revenues as spe-
cial funds, except those for roads
and game and inland fish.
Fixed Date for Requests.
2. All requests for Federal aid
should be cleared through the
Governor and the Department of
Budget and Procurement. This,
the commission said, would give
the State better control over the
programs which such Federal :
funds help to finance.
3. A fixed date (September 15) :
instead of the present indefinite
time for the submission of all
departmental budget requests to-
the Department of Budget and
Procurement.
4. A co-ordinated all-inclusive
capital budget covering the an
nual Statewide public improve
ment program.
5. A central mechanical payroll
bureau and better coordination
'of State purchasing, including ap-
po1ntment of a State storekeeper.
One OF the things that prompted
the survey was the sharp Jump
in the amount of money the State
spends each year.
Employees Increased.
According to the commission, i,
the State budget has expanded
from S12 million for 1920 to S163 ,
million for 1952-and this doesn't
include an additional $40 million
to be spent from Federal funds. :,
During the same period, the
number of State employees has .
multiplied from 1890 to $4,000. /,
To enable State officials-and
.taxpayers-to keep track of this
money in more efficient manner.
the commission advocated a single.
overall budget statement pre-
Isented annually in a form that
will enable the General Assembly
and the people to see clearly the
financial blueprint of the State.
| Common sense demands a uni
fled State budget" the commits
sion emphasized. 1T is obviously
the only way to achieve a unified
spending program which can be.
weighed against the revenue pro-
gram Of the State"
Would Outline Functions.
This single budget, the commits
sion said, should be organized in
terms Of the purposes for which
each agency's money are spent.
1t would outline the functions
OF each agency and show how
much work is to be done for a
given sum. Moreover, it would.
provide yardstick for measuring
agency performance from year to
year and would pave the way for
Installing up-to-date accounting
methods.
! Under the present method Of
submitting budgets, the commits
sion said, THE most conscienti-
Gus laWmaker cannot tell how
many clerks or nurses. janitors or
engineerS are needed in a given
agency unless he knows Just what
functions that agency is expected
to perform"
The proposed new type Of
budget, according to the commits
sion, has been accepted by the
Federal Government as well as by
several large cities.
! Once Led Nation. +
7 Its adoption in Maryland de-
pends on favorable action by the
Legislature in 1852 and on con-
stitutional amendment which
would have to be approved by the
voters next November.
!! The report, which fighlights
the commissions recommends
tlons. pointed out that Maryland
led the Nation in providing for
sound State budgeting when the
executive budget system was in
stalled in 1919.
| Under this plan, the Governor
is responsible for drafting and
presenting the budget to the Leg
lSlature. The States lawmakers
are prohibited, however, from in
creasing any amount in the
budget unless they also provide
the additional revenue needed. 4
BY making the changes it sug--
gests. the commission said, Mary
land would become the first State
to adopt the program budget and
perhaps again point the way.
budget wise, for other States tn