11,760

1

on to say, " — that it is advisable to give the Legislature

2

the power to initiate appropriations for objects for which

3

the Governor has made no estimates. The Commission feels,

4

however, that it is necessary to prevent the recurrence

5

of deficits in the finances of the State, and to fix

6

the responsibility for any derangement of the financial

7

plans of the Governor. It has accordingly framed the

8

proposed constitutional amendment in such a way as to permit

9

the Legislature by a three-fifths vote, and subject to the

10

usual provisions with regard to the approval of the Governor,

11

to appropriate money for a purpose not included in the

12

Governor's estimates, on the condition that provision is

13

made in the act of appropriation for the levy of a tax

14

sufficient in the amount to defray the expenses necessitated

15

by such act of appropriation."

16

I submit, ladies and gentlemen, that what we

17

are doing here is to permit the General Assembly to use

18

revenues that are available to it when it reduces an item

19

in the budget to transfer those revenues to another program

20

if in its judgment it feels that the best interests of the

21

state would be served by making that transfer.