III MESSAGES TO THE LEGISLATURE Regular Session - Convened January 3 - Adjourned May 4 ANNUAL MESSAGE STATE OF NEW YORK - EXECUTIVE CHAMBER To the Legislature: ALBANY, January 3, 1923. We are beginning another year in the history of our great State a history and a State of which we have abundant reason to be proud. Unquestionably representative democratic government is the best form known to man. But like every other human agency, frailties make themselves apparent in it as time progresses and experience teaches. Government unquestionably loses much of its force when it lacks the essential elements of responsiveness and responsibility to a well-defined and well-understood public will. As a means of ascertaining that public will, we have had since our very beginning a government of parties, and definite party principles as well as definite party promises have from time to time been set forth in what we call the platform of the party. A platform, aside from its declaration of fundamental principles, is really a promise to or an agreement with the people that those pledges and promises set forth in the party declaration will in the event of success be carried out to the last degree. Through the medium of party platforms and organized political parties, we ascertain the wishes and desires of the great majority. Certainly in the fall election just passed the people of our State spoke in no uncertain terms, and if party government is to remain successful we must believe that their overwhelming vote meant that the principles and policies put forth by the successful party were to be carried out. The future security of democratic government rests upon the obligation of parties, first, to ascertain the public will and after that to make it effective. The recent election cannot leave doubt in any one's mind that a demand was made by the great majority of the people of the State to enact a program of which they had full and complete knowledge, because it was debated for many weeks in all parts of the State. To my mind, it means more than an obligation that rests solely upon one party. Partisan division, when against the best interests of the State, is not calculated to promote the public welfare or maintain confidence in democratic representative government. Enlightened public opinion will no longer permit partisan advantage to be gained by either party through negative action. The people will form their estimates of the parties by their ability to point to constructive achievement. In the interest of the State and all its people, it is our duty to win laurels for our party by what we can do that is helpful to the millions of our citizens. STATE FINANCES I am submitting figures furnished to me by the State Comptroller showing the financial transactions of the State. They speak for themselves to people who can understand them, but the trouble with our financial statements is that they are prepared in technica! and accounting terms. I will do the best I can to outline the State's financial condition in a way that will make it clear to the average citizen. For the purposes of bookkeeping the State uses a year that begins the first of July and it is referred to as the fiscal year. On the first of July, 1922, the State owed to its bond holders $267,008,000. Contributions have been made each year to the sinking fund which is to meet these bonds when due, and this fund now contains investments and cash amounting to $81,171,115.21, leaving a balance of $185,836,884.79 to be met by future yearly contributions. This amount is made up as follows: Bonds issued: For the improvement of the Canal... For State Highways... For purchase of land at Palisades Park.... .$103,358,714 70 71,424,731 82 3,954,956 02 6,754,482 25 334,000 00 10,000 00 $185,836,884 79 On the first of July, 1922, the State had in its surplus fund which is really its bank account, $41,261,294.18 to pay its running expenses in part. During the existing fiscal year, it is estimated by the State Comptroller that $5,614,213.82 will be used from this account to help carry the running expenses of the State, so that it is estimated that at the end of this fiscal year which will be June 30, 1923, the State will have in its bank account $35,647,080.36. The Legislature last year appropriated in all $149,363,752.67. This year departments have already sent requests to the Board of Estimate and Control for a sum amounting to $159,529,119.52, which is $10,165,366.85 more than the sum required last year. To meet these requests, the Comptroller estimates the income of the State for the next fiscal year, beginning July, 1923, to be $162,002,756.79. It must, however, be borne in mind that at best this is a guess and some of the sources of revenue from which this amount is expected may not come up to the estimates. It must be further borne in mind that there are a great many requirements of the State not included in these requests. I state this in this fashion in order that you may see the line of safety and keep the expenditures of the State within its income. In these requests, you will find $6,149,039.44 which is for deficiencies in the appropriations of last year and will be required to be appropriated to carry the State through the balance of this fiscal year. Deficiencies in appropriation arise from three sources. First, the failure of the last Legislature to appropriate enough; second, they could arise from extraordinary happenings after the adjournment of the Legislature; thirdly, it might be that department heads would overdraw on their appropriations. For the last, there is no excuse and very little for the first, as the Legislature has facilities for informing itself of actual needs. The people of the State are entitled to and should receive a full return, dollar by dollar, for every dollar appropriated. At the same time, a policy that postpones payment of just debts and obligations for any pur pose whatsoever is indefensible. Provision should be made ahead of time for every knowr expense of the State, as in the instance of appropriations for indemnities for the slaughter of tubercular cattle. I am informed by the Department of Agriculture that the probable amount of indemnities now due to the owners of cattle slaughtered in 1922 will exceed the sum of $1,600,000. The policy adopted by the last Legislature, to my way of thinking, was not right. It simply met deficiencies in former appropriations and made no appropriation for 1922 for this purpose. Consequently we are faced with a payment to be made immediately that should have been provided for this time a year ago. In making appropriations for this payment, provision should also be made for an amount to be estimated by the Department of Agriculture that will enable the State to meet promptly payments for cattle slaughtered, so that the State may not become indebted over long periods of time, as at present, to a class of its citizens that can least afford to do without their property. I would suggest to the financial committees of your honorable body that you give careful and painstaking attention to all requests for appropriations. The needs of the State must all be met and waste and unnecessary undertakings must be checked. I will cooperate with you in this to the last degree, because I am satisfied that heavy taxation is adding to the high cost of living. The man at the top can pass the tax along but the ultimate consumer is helpless and is entitled to the best thought that we can give to this question of the cost of government. |