298 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

court's decision. In other words, that the appropriations' separation
from the tax bill does not make the tax bill referable. We feel that
it's nonreferable because it's inextricably connected with the budget-
ary situation, the budgetary features of the State budget and of the
local budgets.

Q. Governor, shortly after Mr. Goldstein raised these constitutional
questions you said at a press conference a few weeks ago it was a
political charade, sniping at the back. It seems that under the Court
of Appeals' decision, if these questions had not been raised, it's pos-
sible that a later study might have shown the distribution of the
money as unconstitutional. Do you still think that Mr. Goldstein was
merely sniping at your office?

A. No, I would have to say that Mr. Goldstein did raise this ques-
tion. He raised about four other questions of substance. He generated
a certain amount of sniping at the bill, as witness the fact that other
suits are in the mill on the same question, which now won't have to
be heard. And if the sniper's bullet hit, I'm very happy that it was
only a flesh wound.

Q. But if he hadn't brought this question, though, the money could
have been distributed and then found to be illegal?

A. Well, we could have always rectified that by a special session of
the Legislature. I don't believe there would have been any court case
on the matter without the direction of the public attention to these
questions, not only by Mr. Goldstein but by other people.

Q. Aren't you glad to have this question settled?

A. I'm just as happy to have it worked out, but I'm not sure that
I'm entirely in accord with the finding. I guess I have a right to dis-
agree with the judicial branch. Their ruling is certainly the one that
becomes the law in this case. But my feeling was that it was a
very close question, and had I been a judge I would have called it the
other way.

Q. Governor, how costly is this inadvertent mistake going to be tax-
wise?

A. You have got to figure it will cost at least $25, 000.

Q. Governor, on your question, do you intend to take any stand for
or against any of the proposals on the draft constitution at the Con-
stitutional Convention?