The Sidney herald., 1961-01-04

1851 - BY Governor Donald G.
Nutter.
MIR. President, MIR. Speaker and
members of the Thirty-Seventh
Legislative Assembly:
We are assembled here Ito per-
form the duties imposed upon us
by the people of this great state
within the limits of the consti-
tuition of Montana. During the
remainder of this legislative ses-
sion you will be required to eval-
uate all services reasonably ex-
pected OF government and each of
us, according to the dictates of his
conscience, will be called upon
TO provide the necessary services
at a minimum of cost.
You and /, as elected Officers
OF the State of Montana, are OBJ
Hgated to carry out a mandate
OF the people - ito hold the line
on taxes and to live within our
income while providing those ser
wees we sincerely believe the
government is obligated to per-
norm. That your task as senator's
and representatives is difficult is
evidenced by the uact that we
nave carried on a program of def
lclt spending since June 30. 1e49
On that date we had a sumlus off
+. $14, 56,O25-14 in the general fund.
AS of June 80, 1860, we were in
q red by approximately 81,
OOO.0O. BY June 80, 1861, the end
on TINS fiscal biennium, it is es-
tlmated we will have a general
1und deficit of $6,634, ass. 90. In
UWelve years we have overSpent
our income by more than twenty
one million dollars, not to men
tlon lev1eS imposed upon the tax
payers Tor repayment of special
Oond issues. You and l must, and
Will put an end to deficit spend
ing.
AS provided in the constitution
OF the State of Montana, the Gov
ernor shall inform the legislature
OF the condition of the state and
shall recommend a program for
the future conduct of State Cow
eminent.
The Seth Legislative Assembly
provided for the creation of the
office of budget director. This
was good legislation and for the
first time the Governor is sub
uniting a budget for state gov
eminent operation. The figures
which / use in this message, ex-
cept those on university popula-
ton growth and appropriation in
crease, and Student-faculty ratios,
are those of the director of bud
get and were arrived at after
considerable research and inVesti-
cation.
l could tell you of the amount
of income during this biennium
and the amount of expenditures,
the sources of income and where
the money went but such infor-
nation is available to you and
given here would be repetitious.
Our financial condition is simply
this: The state of Montana will
be in the red $6,6334,459.00 at the
end of this biennium. In addi-
tlon to this deficit, supplemental
appropriation requests, in the ag-
gregate amount of $350,574.47,
have been received by the state
Board of Examiners.
Your task, and mine, in pro-
vidng finances alone, is monu-
mental. We must pick up the tab
on supplemental requests; pro-
vide funds to operate the state
government for the next biennium
and make provision for liquida-
ton of our deficit. You will APP
preciate the magnitude of the
problem when you realize thai
former legislatures have over
spent state income but you anC
1 are expected to do these three
things within the limits of fund:
available. TT CAN BE DONE.
We have an obligation to pro
vide funds for certain necessary
services and because of our fl
nancial condition we must plac'
these services on a priority basis
We must provide adequate fund
for education Through the foun
dalton program and You will not
II the budget an increase in tn
state contribution. We must Sc
LldL OuI CQSUO01dl GAOLAL0t4OAAS AAdN'
funds TO carry out their require
functions. 1 will not take the tim
at this point to outline the need
of every department. We hay
submitted a budget which | be
lieve will keep our department
functioning properly, providin
required and necessary service
only, while we retrench and de
velop a program for a complete
ly streamlined state government
You will note that the aggre
gate of the budget is $70'927, 0S4
100. This represents a substantl;
reduction in the $74,682, $4,000 az
preparation from the general fun
by the 1859 legislature. / fully az
preciate that the Governors buc
get will shock many departmel
people. But it was prepared wit
recognition of the fact that an
increase in budget allowance IL
any department must necessar1
be accompanied by an increase
taxes. 1t is my firm convictic
that we cannot expect econom
oroUyth in our state if we Strang