The people's voice., 1959-01-09

day, January 6, 1859.
Mr.. President, Mr.. Speaker and Mem
bers of the Thirty-Sixth Legislative
Assembly:
Today. as is required by our laws,
the Executive and Legislative
branches of our State Government
come face to face. This is an extreme
ly important occasion. 1t is important
not just for its tradition or ceremony,
but because our State of Montana
faces a crucial financial situation.
| could probably sum up the prob
lem and the heart of my fourth State
of the State Message in just three
words rds-BALANCE THE BUDGET.
A balanced budget, as you all know,
is required by the Constitution of the
State of Montana in Article IL, Sec
tion IL. The people of our great State
are watching this Legislative Assem-
bly,. They expect, and rightfully so,
that you and their Governor will work
together for the good of the State
of Montana.
want to repeat what l said in my
first State of the State Message in
1868. every decision, every vote,
every goal, every ambition must be
weighed with only one thought in
mind: WHAT is BEST FOR MON
TANA?"
Today, pledge that l will continue
L L.
will join me. We are all believers in
our two-party system, which has made
this State and Nation great. But now
is time to put partisanship aside
and work toward ending this legisla-
tive session with a balanced budget |
This is no time for reckless spend
ing. The Congress in Washington, d. |
c., will undoubtedly increase our fed
eral taxes. You already know the
high tax burden Montanans bear at
the local level. Don't compound this
at the State level. This is a time for
economy-a time for living within our
means.
You have the sole power to tax.
You have the sole power to spend.
This is a grave responsibility. But it
must be met.
/ only wish that | could report to
you that the budget is balanced, as
did two years ago. However, the
leficit will reach at least five and
million dollars by the end
# the current biennium on June 80,
L959. The State Controllers office
'eports a General Fund deficit of
"a million dollars ($3,395,238.96) ;
It the end of 1853. {
Today it is even more important
-ou balance the budget and make up
he deficiency left by the last legis-
ature.% t
Requests from the General Fund s
re at an all-time high. They total t
105, 5,890,284.48. Estimated income is t
A million dollars. Just six short years e
go l was shocked to find General t
'und requests totaling nearly 81 mil s
on dollars $3.50, ,651). Now these n
ave more than doubled. Today it is o
ven more imperative that you bal t
nee the budget, while making up the a
efficiency left by the last Legisla- a
lre. f
should stress that this record fig
re is requests, and not an Executive r
'udget, with which l will deal later is
1 this message. 1t can and must be n
and only you have the power t.
D do that trimming. While can veto c.
ny item in full and eliminate it, n
ant cut your appropriations. There #
ore, there must be wise trimming e
your level. o.
In examining and pairing these m
udget requests, you must carefully II
between items. To bor- Sc
wv from an eminent tax authority, 81
lere are essentials and desirables. tt
bviously, we can't have both and tt
ill end up with balanced budget CT
nd lower taxes. Certain desirables
ay be possible, but not at the ex- M
ense of red ink. a
Montana stands today at cross in
'ads. We can take the path of black til
k financing. We can provide those ca
rvices of government which we can
ford and no more. Or we can allow dc
lrselves to be lulled down the path tn
fiscal chaos. This path is paved pa
th good intentions. However, it SO
,es not lend itself to the program pc
sound, businesslike government la
lich have tried to give Montana In