|
things enumerated, and I am sure you will
find that out.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any fur-
ther questions of the Vice-Chairman? Dele-
gate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Delegate Adkins,
it is my understanding that the majority
of your Committee recommended that there
be no provision made for a comptroller in
the Constitution so that you would
strengthen the hand of the governor, is that
right?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: Yes, sir, that is
right.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: What powers
would you want the governor to have that
he does not already have?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: Without going
into a long lengthy list, one was recently
mentioned. I think he should have the
power to control the Board of Revenue
Estimates so that we are not faced with
a situation where estimates can be raised
or lowered by some person for reasons per-
haps other than the welfare of the State.
I think one of the chief functions of the
chief executive is to make an effective
budget. I think in order to do that, he has
to make a forecast of income as well as
outgo. Now he controls outgo, but he does
not forecast the income. This is a serious
impediment on any chief executive to func-
tion effectively.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Would you not
think that a comptroller who was compe-
tent would be of great aid to him in mak-
ing estimates of income?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: I see no reason
why an appointed comptroller would not be
as competent as an elected comptroller.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Is it your opinion
that an appointed comptroller would be
more competent than an elected comp-
troller?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: It is the opinion
of the Committee that the executive branch
would be strengthened by having a chief
|
fiscal officer, by whatever name we chose
to call it, responsible to the chief execu-
tive, yes.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Can you tell me,
sir, how many appointments the governor
now has?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: We cannot give
you a number.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Can you give it
to me within twenty-five?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: No, I cannot.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Within fifty?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: I cannot give
you a figure that I would be prepared to
defend.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: Do you think that
the elimination of the comptroller as a con-
stitutional officer would give him more ap-
pointive power, not only in the comptroller
itself but in a great many of the employees
of his office?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Adkins.
DELEGATE ADKINS: I do not think
so. I think it would give him the power to
appoint the principal head of whatever
general department was established to
handle the financial affairs of the State.
The constitutional provisions which are
being proposed by the Committee do noth-
ing beyond that. It was perfectly within
our concept that all other appointments
would be made by the department head or
pursuant to the Civil Service regulations
as they are now in effect.
This is, in no sense, a debate about
whether the 900 members of the comp-
troller's office should be appointed by the
governor or appointed by the comptroller.
This is not involved in the issue as we see
it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Child.
DELEGATE CHILD: My question was
whether or not you wanted to strengthen^
his hand by giving him more appointive
power.
-^"i
|
