Show Purse Strings Of Southwest Southwest- States Tighten Receives Honor 4 4 4 W. W MCARTHY THY Widely Recommended I Commodity Price Decline Causes Taxpayers to Scrutinize Levies t t GOVERNMENT COSTS CUT CUTi i Elimination of Overlapping Departments Urged Editors Editor's note States of the southwest and mountain region share with those of the eastern seaboard seaboard sea sea- board and midwest the problem m of combating mounting costs of gov gov- In the rapid development of these states generous provision was made for educational and other institutions Vast highway projects spread over distances unknown unknown un un- un known in the east Changing economic conditions drove heme home the issue of taxation The following article tells how it itis itis itis is being met in Kansas Missouri Arkansas Oklahoma Texas Colerado Colorado Colorado Colo Cole rado New Mexico Wyoming and Montana The sixth and final article of the series prepared b by the United Press tomorrow will outline the situation in states on the west coast I By GERALD P. P OVERTON United Press Staff Correspondent Copyright 1932 by United Press I KANSAS CITY Mo Jan 29 The 29 The I hand of economic necessity has tightened tightened tight tight- ened purse strings of governmental I agencies in states of the southwest and the Rock Rocky mountain region The decline in commodity prices that reached its lowest point on two major products of the area In midsummer midsummer mid mid- summer of 1931 caused taxpayers to scrutinize their levies with a more critical eye than ever before Wheat dropped to 25 cents a bushel in Kansas towns last summer The farmer hauled nearly eight bushels of the grain to market to make the same payment on taxes one bushel made in 1919 Oklahoma producers pumped 27 barrels of oil to equal the tax remittance remittance remittance remit remit- tance one barrel provided a little littlemore littlemore littlemore more tbt a R decade ago Organizations of t taxpayers payers sprang up throughout the area for a mass assault assault as as- sault on the problem of mounting government costs TAX WAR Wheat and oil turned sharply upward upward up up- tip tip- ward in the fall but the war for lower taxes has continued with undiminished undiminished undiminished force Reductions have been ordered in expenditures of oC state departments and institutions with salary cuts In some instances Counties municipalities and school units have heard the demand for close husbanding of public dollars I Taxpayers Taxpayers' organizations are preparing preparing preparing pre pre- paring to go before the legislatures Continued on Page PAce Three I STATES TIGHTEN PURSE STRINGS Continued From Pa Faze Pue One next winter with a program for elimination of overlapping departments departments depart depart- ments consolidation of units of government government gov gov- and strict curtailment of ot ex ex- In Oklahoma Governor W. W H. H Alfalfa Bill Murray submitted at ata ata ata a special election a constitutional amendment for creation o of a budget officer The measure was voted down Its opponents contended it would give the he governor dictatorial powers over departments and institutions The only way to lower taxes is to reduce educe government expenditures and cut out all useless of offices ices reported report cd Murray CRITICAL SITUATION Missouri is faced with a critical financial financial fi fi- fi situation Governor Henry S. S Caulfield warned recently cut down expenses now we will come to the thc last six months of the he biennium with absolutely no money to run the state Three definite moves backed by a wide tate organization of taxpayers were wen on foot in Tex Texas to cut the cost of f government when the legislature meets next January I I believe the homes farms ranches and other property of ot the people of Texas already already- are overtaxed observed ob oh- obi served Governor Ross Sterling Many municipalities have followed the example of state slate governments and curtailed expenditures Several cities have ordered wage reductions for em em- a The situ situation in the various states Oklahoma Cost Oklahoma Cost of operating the state in 1931 was with an additional spent on road construction That year added nearly nearly near near- I ly to the deficit of the state treasury which it is estimated will wil reach by the end of another an an- another other fiscal year TAXES READJUSTED Kansas Readjustment Kansas Readjustment of ot the tax burden to reach persons now escaping escape ing their share in the cost of government government govern govern- ment and elimination of overlapping offices are the principal means of re reo re- re lid lief advocated by Governor Harry Woodring He is opposed to a blanket blan blan- ket cut in salaries of ot officials Taxpayers Taxpayers' Taxpayers Taxpayers' Taxpayers Taxpayers' Tax Tax- payers' payers meetings have been held in inmany inmany inmany many counties Five wide state conferences con con- met at t Topeka Arkansas Governor Arkansas Governor Harvey Parnell Par nell laid before all department chiefs chief chiefa a program to save It included in in- eluded a 10 per cent reduction in salaries Some departments failed to coop cooperate crate fully in the program Governmental Governmental Gov Gov- expenditures in 1931 increased increased in in- creased 12 per cent over the preceding precede ing year Texas Texas Appropriations Appropriations for tor the biennial biennial bi bi- bi period ending in September 1933 total although Governor Gov Gov- Sterling b by vetoes slashed from appropriations The sum of docs does not include the cost of road building and other special items Missouri Governor Missouri Governor Caulfield belIeves be be- lie es the state will end the biennium without a def deficit cit He asked all de departments de- de and institutions to cut ex cx- 26 20 cent when per it became apparent ap ap- parent the state would have revenues totaling only to meet legislative legislative legis- legis a ye appropriations amounting to lo WARNING ARNING ISSUED Colorado Governor Colorado Governor William IL IL Adams gave this w warning to lo all departments de departments de- de and institutions The peo peer pIe who pay the bills bUls have had their incomes curtailed The government should always practice econom economy but bu especially is this true at this time J Obstacles in the form of outstanding debts and rivalry o of towns seeking t to retain county seats blocked consol consolidation consolida consolida- tion Hon of counties New Mexico Taxpayers Mexico Taxpayers Taxpayers' associations 1 were formed in 14 counties dc dc- dc- dc 1 manding that the state and local governments gov gov- curtail costs and eliminate duplications Salaries were reduced in the state slate comptrollers comptroller's office oHice Fewer Few Few- J er cr men were employed on highway maintenance maintenance work Several lucrative ve salaries were abolished in the h highway highway high high- hway h- h way department Wyoming Taxpayers' Taxpayers meetings meeting s have been held in many localities demanding demanding de de- de manding reductions Boards of ot county coun coun- ty and city commissioners announced announce material cuts in budgets Alonzo M M. i Clark acting governor asked heads head of ol state departments and institutions institution to hold current expenses to within 80 per cent of ol the budget but warned f against wage cuts Montana Through Montana Through operation of a H budget law passed b by the legislature three years year ago counties arc are beginning begin begin- ning to lay up a reserve and operate I within v hm their Income me Cities likewise be required to budget their income in in- come and expenditures six Forty of ot the he states state's 56 counties reduced their taxes axes for Cor governmental purposes last las year with wilh a net saving of 1262 31 a from Crom rom the 1930 figure a |