authorized, has made it necessary for me to recommend many new
positions in the government service to maintain services at current
and improved levels. You will find a net increase of 803 positions,
which will cost $2, 967, 271. Standard salary increments for the year
will amount to $1, 782, 709, and faculty scale increments, to $568, 607.

The Commissioner of Personnel, as you know, conducts a con-
tinuing review of State salary scales to test their adequacy for the
recruiting and retention of personnel. At the recommendation of the
Standard Salary Board, I am proposing adjustment of the scales of
319 classes, affecting 7, 163 employees. The cost of these adjustments
for the fiscal year is estimated to be $1, 365, 000 in general funds and
$740, 000 in special funds.

It is well to point out, I think, that 86. 4 per cent of the money we
are spending is allotted to enhance the well-being of the individual
citizens of Maryland—through programs of education, health and
welfare.

Regarding education, I have dealt already with the subject of
teachers' salaries and aid for school construction. In this connection,
let me state affirmatively that I am keenly conscious of the necessity
of maintaining high standards of teaching in our public schools,
which can be done only if we retain our strong competitive position
with regard to teaching salaries. I think it may be well that we remind
ourselves of the fact that Maryland currently is ranked by the Na-
tional Education Association as eleventh among the 50 states in the
salaries paid to its school teachers. Statistically of even greater con-
sequence is our State's minimum salary scale. Maryland established
a scale of minimum salaries in 1904, and we are one of six states
which has maintained a minimum salary law for 50 years or more.
You all know, of course, that local school districts are free to pay
salaries higher than those prescribed by State law, and, in fact,
Baltimore City and all of the twenty-three counties do actually pay
salaries higher than those required by the State.

We may conclude from these data, therefore, that Maryland has
set precedents in establishing and maintaining minimum salaries
and has managed to stay well ahead of national average salaries for
public school teachers. In honesty, it cannot be asserted that Mary-
land has neglected its school teachers. I am proud that this is so, as
I know you are.

To keep pace in this all-important area of endeavor—the education
of our children—I am recommending in this budget a total net in-

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