The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1961-01-06
Message Proposals Would Turn Clock Back
I'm Montana
In Montana

issue printed the Gov Don Nut
te lengthy State of the State to the 18th Legislative
Assembly
Essentially the message admonshes the Legislature to:
off until another day what needs to be done
now particularly concerns capital improvements and
avoid any additional taxation.
The Governor calls 1915 million reduction in general
appropriations the forthcoming bennu from the
S74,682,322 appropriated for the current biennium
To the trend state expenditures Nuer asks the
university system and for the custoda institutions thereby
forcing various administrators to make substantial staff reduc
tons He would also reduce funds available for travel
for various agencies suggests that the assembly, CONSIDER
scer control of ateowned motor vehicles and takes dim
of the purchase of equipment by the departments
and institutions.
Noticeably lacking message reference
to capital ana nonrecung investments no aber now oao
new structures may be needed to meet odays condons at
various custodial institutions This putting
attitude in the past has invariably resulted substantial
OUTLAWS than if needs had been kept abreast Of in and
out Recall will the deporable conditions which
existed at Boulder and Warm Springs decade due to
legislative neglect over period of several decades finally
aroused czenr forced remedial action via major bond ISSUE
but not before construction costs had ocketed the decade
following World War IT, Today additional capital investment
needed at several custoda Institutions particularly the prison
which has had the benefit of little additional capital outlay
early century substantial overhaul
Deer Lodge will not be essened by continued lack of egs
lave action but conversely will increase and during the in
term repairs will become increasingly costly.
Governor Nuter silence on evng any new taxes seems
made this matter during the campaign
am particularly the recommends
tons the Governor makes in promoting his campaign to
the cost of state For example at the prison
would chop the staff by 15 This he would do by "
education principally through
reduction staff " More than 80 cent of the inmates
the will later again become members OF
outside society Surely this rerenchment proposal goes
against all experience reducing the number of PAROLES
will commit further feones they released Instead
recommending cutback in rehabilitation the best
nomc interest of the people of Montana requires substantial
funds available training inmates into productive
pursuits Nationwide shows that those states
with the greatest emphasis rehabilitation the eturnee
percentage is the lowest
also disturbed the drastic faculty cutbacks he is
proposing for the units of the university SYSTEM and
pect that 18 of his fellow party members the two houses
hallng university counties fully disturbed
l. If figures reasonably the Governor
proposing better than 20 faculty cutback at time
when student enromens increasing by of
than four per cent year.
Nutters cautionng Legislature against
economic growth open challenge pointed previous
y in these columns Monanas state structure is most ia
vorabe to the tax structures of the IL other
western states The this contention Dun Brad
street and Commerce Clearing House Reports Montanans
considerably higher individual income and be hurt
but little Montana corporations treated most gently on
the license tax they net income Substantial
tax rate hikes both these will produce millions
needed to meet the increasing of state and
with of citizens
other western states.
The Governors proposals emascuate the Unemploy
ment Compensation bring moent joy to Main
Street. but there for gee the part of those who
Montanas declining job market be Jobessor 1T
the general taxpayer Followed his UCC program will tt
necessitae substantial increase in appropriation for is