Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-01-14
S697 Million Budget
Submitted by Battle
To Virginia Assembly
BY Alex R. Preston
Star Stoff Correspondent

RICHMOND. Jan. 14.-Gov.
Battle today submitted an all-time
record budget to the General AS
sembly calling for expenditures
totaling $697 million during the
next two years.
With the advice of some of the
best fiscal minds in private indus
try in the State, the Governor
foresees an income of $681 millions
during the same biennium COM
mencing July /.
"They were of the opinion that
initiation would continue for the
next two years and that it would
become progressive" Gov. Battle
told a recent gathering of news
men for briefing on the budget.
"Of course" he added, "they
think the thing that will be re-
sponsible for this increase in re-
venues also will be responsible for
higher expenditures by the State. /"
Schools Lead Budget.
Largest single item in the gen.
eral fund budget by far is nearly
500 million for schools 1.-THE
actual figure Of sos, 81, 40, which
also sets a record. The amount
represents an increase of $23, $751;
$40 over the. current biennium
which is the largest raise the State
has ever given the schools.
The Governor emphasized that
this is the final" recommendation
he hopes will be made by his or
any future administration for the
so-called Battle fund" school
construction program. AS outlined
in his message last week, the ap-
preparation includes SIS million
for each of the next biennium to
be distributed in the same manner
that $45 million was made avail
able for the two-year fiscal period
now drawing to a close.
In this connection, Gov. Battle
took cognizance of litigation con-
corning segregation in several
Virginia public school divisions.
Sees Strain on Localities.
1--WE are going to be required
to equalize facilities for Negroes
and that is going to strain GER
tain localities to the breaking
point" he told his briefing confer
ence.
Gov. Battles revenue estimate,
totaling 1851, 756,490 from all
sources. is predicated on a revision
Of the so-called Byrd automatic
income tax revisions which he
called for in his message to the
Assembly last Wednesday.
Under a sliding scale formula
which, in effect froze general fund
revenues at sos million last year,
taxpayers received an automatic
20 per cent reduction in their
bills. In some manner yet to be
determined, the Governor said he
wants to have this ceiling made
more flexible so that he can au-
thorize a refund only after the
States essential needs have been
met.
Another feature of his budget
is an innovation as far as the
last 10 or IL years Of budget MAX
ing is concerned. He called for nc
conditional appropriations - au-
thority to spend if money is avail
able.
Conditional Measures Opposed.
II don't believe in conditional
appropriations if they can be
avoided" he told newsmen.
Usually they're not carefully con-
sidered."
At the end of the present
biennium, for instance, there will
be about $13.5 million in surplus
general funds which he could re-
lease for conditional appropria-
tons but, he indicated, he does
not expect to do so. (There prob
ably will be more than $l4 million
in special funds.) His budget, he
said. will carry a surplus of about
SIS million.
The exact figure for expendi-
lures would be $696,174,544 fol-
the two years divided $254, $50, 57e
from the general fund and $442,-
SGT 1866 from special funds.
The recommended general fund
appropriations are $27,149, sos
higher than for the current two
years.
lSennfnr Cfennie Snanke