4050

VETOES

State—funded jobs can alleviate the current unemployment
problem — but rather to the method chosen to achieve that
object.

In the first place, it is most unwise to create a
Task Force such as this, which has a life of but one
year, and which has but one function of a noncontinuing
nature to perform, by statute. After July 1, 1976,
unless extended by separate Act, the Task Force will be
legally moribund; yet the enabling legislation would
remain more or less permanently as part of the body of
State law. The unsoundness of this approach is
heightened by the fact that the law sought to be enacted
would be uncodified and thereby likely to escape notice
by the Code Revision Commission and the General Assembly.
Study Commissions and Task Forces of this type are
generally created pursuant to a Joint Resolution, in
order to avoid this problem.

I am also concerned that the mammoth and
comprehensive task given to this Task Force simply cannot
be completed by January 1, 1976. If, because of the
complexity and scope of the issues to be studied and
reported on, the Task Force were unable to meet that
deadline, it would be in violation of the law. This is
another reason why, in the particular instance, the use
of legislation rather than Joint Resolution is
unrealistic.

Another practical problem, in terms of effectuating
any recommendations of the Task Force with respect to
State funded employment, is that, by January 1, 1976
(assuming arguendo that the deadline could be met), the
State budget for fiscal year 1977 will already have been
virtually completed and ready for printing. Although it
is, of course, impossible to predict what the
recommendations of the Task Force would be, the thrust of
the bill is in the direction of creating additional
State—funded public employment jobs. If the level of
unemployment does not improve markedly by 1976, it would
obviously take a large number of new jobs, and
consequently a very significant State expenditure, to
alleviate the problem. Such a spending program cannot
easily be plugged in as an amendment to the budget once
it is completed. It would, therefore, be unlikely that,
absent a supplementary appropriation bill carrying its
own tax, any recommendations for significant State
funding could be acted upon for fiscal year 1977 in any
event.

The laudable objectives of the bill can be
accomplished by the Legislative Council, which has the
resources of the Departments of Fiscal Services and
Legislative Reference available to it.