The Sidney herald., 1955-03-10
Senator Nutter
Reviews State
Legislature

Senator Don Nutter called at The
herald office to inform the editor
that If present plans materialize Sid
ney VIII get a new National Guard
armory in the near future.
In reporting on activities at the Leg
lSIatlVe assembly Mr.. Nutter stated
that appropriations for the next BIZ
ennlum amounted to approximately
1914 million dollars while the eStimat-
ed income was set at 46 million. He
pointed out that while deficit spend
ing was not new to Montana State
government, yet for the first time in
many years the state would actually
go into the red. In 1913 there was
approximately a $12,0 0 900 reserve
and deficit spending since that time
has wiped out such surplus and during
the coming biennium the state will go
in the hole"
The school foundation program was
increased 512 per cent. which was short
OF the 1912 increase requested by edu-
Gators. University system was granted
an increase of something over 3 million
dollars.
Term lease bills were killed in the
Democratic controlled House of Rep
resentativeS because enactment of such
bills into law would have muted the
legal question now before the United
States Supreme Court. HI House evil
IDENTIFY felt that the question OF le-
gallty of the so long as oil and gas
are produced" lease law of 1858 should
be settled by the highest court in the
The Governors Interim Highway
Committees recommendations for
highway financing were enacted into
law. such recommendations calling for
a lc gas tax increase; a Sc diesel fuel
tax increase and an increase in Gross
Vehicle Weight tax. An interim COM
mittee was appointed to study the en-
tire question of highway financing
with directions to examine particularly
the feasibility of a Weight-diStance tax
on trucks. Nutter stated that such a
tax on big trucks would, if properly
levied insure the payment by each
operator of their paid share of the
highway financing burden. However,
before such legislation can be enacted
1t must be determined that in re-
placing existing law with a weight
distance law the net income to the
state would be increased. not decreas-
ed, and hence the study by the In
term Committee.
A state Withholding tax was enacted
which in mechanical operation is pat
termed after that of the Federal Gov
eminent.
In summation Nutter stated that
this session differed little from others
he had attended. The eternal struggle
is to hold expenditures to as low a
figure as possible, then to determine
how to meet that figure with income.
The following is a letter received by
Don from General Hurley Mitchell:
State of Montana
Military Department
Office of The Adjutant
General. Helena. Mont.
March z. 1855
Honorable Donald Nutter
Montana Senator
Sidney. Montana
Dear Senator Nutter.
I join with members of my staff,
employees and the officers and en-
listed personnel of the Montana Ma
ttonal Guard in expressing ~apprecia-
ton of the support you gave the Guard
program during the recently completed
legislative session in Helena. I feel
that as a result of the enactment of
u program, we will be better able
to fulfill our mission to the state and
to the nation. It is extremely graft
flying to me to know that there are
people in responsible positions who
take such an interest in the Montana
National Guard.
1t is my hope that you viii continue
to interest yourself in National Guard
activities and that you will feel free
to visit our units at home stations,
our field training encampmentS and
also this office.
Again, many thanks for your help.
Sincerely yours,
S. H. Mitchell, Orig. Gen. ACC,
Mont. NC, The Adjutant General.