The Detroit tribune., 1962-10-06
R0InneY For Governor
Campaign Is WARMING

today Is big business-onc of the
biggest we have. Each year.
state government takes in about
one and a quarter billion dollars
and spcnds about one and quar-
ter billion dollars. OF course in
eight Of the last twelve years. the
state government has spent more
than il has taken in. But with n
balanced budget. income is sup
posed to equal outgo.
"Now. this billion dollars plus
in revenue comes from all sour.
ces-dircctly from the taxpayers
pocket to the state treasury in
the form Of sales taxes. busi-
ness taxes. cigaret taxes and beer
taxes: il also comes from the tax
payers pocket in the form of
payment for one or another spc.
cific state service, such as gaso
line taxes for roads. hunting Ii
censc fees for conservation. and
so forth: and part of it comes
from the Federal government -
the free money" that nobody
pays. But we know the myth of
that thinking every April 18th
when come Tax time rolls
around. We pay much more than
we get back.
"All of these things 90 into the
kitty 10 make the billion dollars
plus a year business Of Michigan
state government.
Nov. before anyone here mods
TO his ncighbor and makes the
comment, I'd like to make il first
There's a whale OF difference
between business and govern
mcnt. Business operates TO meet
our various needs on compcti.
tive private voluntary basis: gov
crnmcnt operates through com
pulSion 10 protect our freedoms
and individual responsibilities.
and do the things we can't do
as well for ourselves individually
or in cooperation with each other.
Now many people think business
operates solely for profit. and
government operates primarily
for service. Following this thco.
ry. which is the basic one most
people hold today. business
should not give hoot about pro
viding service. and government
should not worry about whether
it ends up in the black or red.
Well. personally. don't think
either of these ideas in sound
one. And speak from expert
cncc in having been active for
years, both in business and in
government. Business. TO fill its
proper role in our society. must
concern itself with more than
making n profit; it must render
service and share progress il
makes with the consumers and
with the workers il employs as
we'll as with the investors who
hold the pursestrings. Any comp.
any. to fill its proper role. must
have not only a cash register.
but a heart And my personal
record in this regard is we'll
known and clear for all to see.
AT the same time. believe
that government has financial
responsibility, too. as well as its
primary responsibility to protect
our freedom and to provide ser
vices government can best sup
ply. | believe that government
has the responsibility TO keep
tax burdens as low as possible.
TO maintain a tax structure as
equitable as possible. and to pro
vide its services rs economically
and efficiently as possible
ANY government must be able
to assure a full and fair return
for the peoples money.
The cost of government is
major and increasing burden up.
on the individual paycheck and
the cntidc economy. Any waste,
no matter how small, represents
an unnecessary diversion from
better use of funds by the people
themselves or for the necessary
functions of government.
Governmental institutions and
those persons who benefit finan-
cially from Government admins
tered programs should welcome
economical and efficient admins
tration. because sound money
management permits a dollar to
do more in terms of providing
public services.
Let's look at a few current
trends in Michigan governmental
finances.
Since 1850, state taxes have
risen $50 percent. to $942 million