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Committee of the Whole that unfortunately
I do not have a copy of the proposed com-
promise, and I think it really speaks di-
rectly to this issue. To the extent that the
people want an elected comptroller, it is
my understanding, from the discussions in
my district that what they really want is
someone to exercise some sort of reviewing
power over the sensitive functions of the
governor, and to the extent that that func-
tion is fulfilled in this new board which is
my understanding of the proposed compro-
mise, I would think that the comptroller is
not necessary.
Stated another way, I think the people
really want the review that is promised
us by the suggested compromise, and they
do not recommend an elected official just to
have an elected official. They are interested
in his function.
Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Bushong.
DELEGATE BUSHONG: Mr. Chair-
man, I would like to point out that this
Convention is attempting to do away with
two elective offices, and replacing an elec-
tive office with a lieutenant-governor who
will go all over this State, making speeches
and preparing himself to be elected when
the governor can no longer run under this
constitution.
Now, we talk about democracy on the
other side, but here we talk about dynasty.
And I think the people of this State cer-
tainly do not want that. I feel that the
people still want to elect their public offi-
cials.
We have no objection to the election of
a lieutenant-governor, if this Convention
wants one; let it be, but why take away
with one hand two elected public officers
and replace them with one, who shall be
the person that goes around the State and
tells everybody how good the governor is.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Hanson.
DELEGATE HANSON: Mr. Chairman,
I rise to oppose the amendment.
I think if we look at the functions that
are performed by the comptroller, we will
see that there is no need for the election
of this office, and that in fact, it can pro-
vide a serious problem for the future de-
velopment of a strengthened executive
branch in Maryland.
The way to check the executive branch,
and the financial activities of the executive
branch, is with a vigorous legislature, an
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effective appropriations system, and an ef-
fective post-audit, and with laws requiring
publicity for financial decisions.
I think we would not create the office of
comptroller, or even consider it if we did
not already have that office in the present
Constitution.
We have already removed the post-audit
functions and placed those in the legisla-
ture where they belong.
I am somewhat worried about some of
the discussion which suggests that the
comptroller must be a watchdog of the
treasury, but who watches the watchdog?
It seems to me that this properly is a
legislative function, and I am far more
concerned with the possibility that we
would have a comptroller, whom the gov-
ernor would have no adequate power to
check than I am that we would have a
governor who would run rampant with fi-
nances of the State, and a comptroller
simply to control him.
Another function performed by the
comptroller is that of the pre-audit. I think
all authorities in the field of public fi-
nancing agree that the pre-audit function
is an executive function. It is an integral
part of management. It is essential for
management to see that its programs are
being carried out.
There has been some concern expressed
on this floor that the post-audit would not
provide an adequate control. A post-audit
effectively performed will properly provide
a very strong and effective control over the
financial operations of the governor, and
all of the departments that operate under
the governor, because one of the functions
of the post-audit is not only to check up on
things several months after they occur but
to require the executive to undertake the
procedures by which those checks can be
made effectively and promptly.
So here again we have no need for an
independent office. The estimate of revenue's
is an integral part of the budgetary process
and certainly no one on this floor has
argued that the budgetary process is some-
thing of which we ought to divest the gov-
ernor.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one-half
minute, Delegate Hanson.
DELEGATE HANSON: I believe, Mr.
Chairman, that we can enhance popular
control over the finances of this State by
making the governor responsible, and by
simplifying for our government and for
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