An Evaluation of the System of Central Financial Control of Research in State Governments Bulletin of the National Research Council (1924) / Chapter Skim
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V. Central Financial Control in Massachusetts
V. Central Financial Control in Massachusetts
Pages 85-103
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From page 85... ...
GENERAL VIEW OF THE LEGAL PROVISIONS For a few years central control in Massachusetts seemed to be likely to rest directly in the state legislature rather than in the executive; but the change in the political situation in 1916 which restored the Republican party to complete power, and the work of the Constitutional Convention in 1918, combined to establish a very broad executive control, now operating through the Commission on Administration of Finance. This legislation had its inception in a law of 191026 by which the governor was authorized to pass upon all estimates and proposals for revenue.
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From page 86... ...
Two important events occurred in 1918 to emphasize this tendency, one, the enactment of a budget act by the General Court, establishing the principle of executive leadership and responsibility in financial matters; the other, the approval of a constitutional amendment to the same purpose.29 The statute required every officer and board to submit annually to the supervisor of administration statements showing the amounts appropriated for the current fiscal year, and estimates of the amount required for the ensuing fiscal year. "The supervisor of administration shall study and reviewer all estimates and requests for appropriations and shall make such investigations as may be necessary to enable him to prepare a budget for the governor, setting forth such recommendations as the governor shall determine upon." The budget was required to contain in detail definite recommendations of the governor relative to the amounts which should be appropriated.
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From page 87... ...
Some degree of supervision over printing was found as early as 1902. In that year a State Board of Publication was created "to examine the annual reports and all special reports and other documents issued by the Commonwealth and to define the form and content thereof." Any special reports were allowed if deemed by the Board of Publication "to be of practical utility." Statements of the scope and estimates of the size of each publication were required to be submitted to the Board of Publication in which was vested power to determine the number of pages, and the inclusion of ~naps, plans, photogravures, or other illustrations.
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From page 88... ...
In 1916 a special committee of the governor's council commenced a study of the salary problem in Massachusetts, assisted by the supervisor of administration. Subsequently a standardized salary scale was established for all positions in the state service, and its administration was given to the supervisor of administration, later the director of the personnel division of the Commission on Administration and Finance.
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From page 89... ...
The budget commissioner studies and reviews all estimates and requests for appropriations, makes such investigations as may be necessary, and prepares a budget for the governor, containing his detailed recommendations. The law authorized the governor to submit supplementary budgets and the practice now is for the governor to submit one supplementary budget containing estimates made necessary by current legislation, or made possible by enlarged revenues.
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From page 90... ...
The policy of the budget authorities and of the legislature for the last five years has; been to enforce rigid economy in state expenditures. The total original estimates and the budget recommendations for these years are shown in the following table: TABLE XXI.-Table Showing Budget Reductions in Massachusetts.a Year 1920...........
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From page 91... ...
. Agricultural Experiment Station.
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From page 92... ...
Table XXIII shows the appropriations for a recent period of years for a number of scientific institutions and the corresponding, figure for the whole state. The figures were taken from the appropriation acts, except in the case of the Agricultural Experiment Station, figures for which were compiled from data given in the annual budgets.
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From page 93... ...
. State 100 98 105 111 106 Scientific divisions 100 112 118 143 141 Consultation with the heads of departments and with the directors of many scientific divisions did not reveal dissatisfaction with the budget-making process.
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From page 94... ...
On all sides it was agreed that the law provided adequate opportunity for the presentation of the requests of the departments; but it was frequently asserted that in practice the opportunity to confer with the budget commissioner or to appear before the Ways and Means Committee was, in fact, fruitless. This assertion means in erect that the need did not appear urgent enough to the budget authorities to warrant additional expenditure; and while this may appear at times as a hardship, it is an inconvenience which all public authorities must necessarily accept as a condition of their status.
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From page 95... ...
Consultation with the heads of scientific bureaus and departments revealed no serious difficulty with purchasing methods. For the purchase of scientific apparatus, a release can ordinarily be secured; and for other special purposes, exact specifications, including the particular brand and quality desired, ensure the purchase of satisiactory supplies.
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From page 96... ...
The supervisor of administration in turn succeeded to the duties of the old Board of Publication whose duties were prescribed in the statute of 1902. They were "to examine the annual reports and all special reports issued by or on behalf of the Commonwealth by any public officer, board, or commission and to define the form and content thereof." Public officers may in addition to their annual reports make such special reports as shall be deemed by the Board of Publication "to be of practical utility." The board was authorized to determine the number of pages and the inclusion of maps and illustrations "and no such report shall be published unless it bears the certified approval of the state board of publication." An appeal was allowed to the governor and council.
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From page 97... ...
The demand for governmental saving has very properly insisted upon more care in the amount and character of state printing. The chief issue involved in the printing situation turns on the advisability of allowing the Commission on Administration and Finance power to deny ire toto the right of publication of a scientific contribution approved by the scientific bureau or institution and by the department of which it is a part.
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From page 98... ...
The budget commissioner is in far less intimate contact with the scientific bureaus, and then chiefly in connection with the business phase of their work, and he has a less favorable opportunity to form a judgment on the worth of scientific workers. The head of the department usually has an opportunity to influence the line of investigation undertaken by the research divisions; the commission does not have this opportunity.
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From page 99... ...
Its continuance would seem likely to disrupt the scientific divisions through the resignation of members of the staff and the dissatisfaction of those who remain. A bill is pending in the present session of the General Court to exempt research publications of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station from the approval of the Division of Personnel and Standardization, but it seems unlikely that the bill will be passed.
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From page 100... ...
Great waste of energy and time on the part of the Council and Legislature in discussing details of relatively small importance concerning personal service, and without any adequate basis upon which to form proper conclusions. "Departments also perform their functions under difficulties because the administrative heads, absorbed with consideration of large policies, often give little thought to the adjustment of the personnel of their offices, leaving such matters to subordinates, many of whom have been so long in the service and become so accustomed to established methods and traditions that they practically never attempt to initiate changes to meet new conditions, or in any way to improve departmental practice.
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From page 101... ...
Even when special reports are requested from the Supervisor of Administration, the lack of a basis on which to form logical conclusions is painfully apparent. "Because of this, modest and retiring employees not desiring the publicity or uncertainty incident to a controversy before the Council or Legislature seldom attain their just deserts.
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From page 102... ...
In order to ensure economy it is entirely proper for the Commission on Administration and Finance to require prior notice of appointments to vacancies or new positions; and in the case of non-scientific positions in a scientific agency it should be entitled to discuss the matter with the division concerned, and, if desired, to bring the case to the attention of the governor. So far as research appointments are concerned, the writer feels that if the state desires supervision of such appointments, it
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From page 103... ...
122-125) , Supervisor of Administration, Annual and Special Reports, 191~1922, Commission on Administration and Finance, Annual Report, 1920, et seg., Joint Special Committee on Finance and Budget Procedure, Report on State Finances and the Budget, House Document 1185, 1918; Commission on State Administration and Expenditures, Report on State Administration and Expenditures, House Document 800, 1922; Annual Budget Speech of Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee, Annual Budgets, 191~1924, inclusive, Special Committee of the Executive Council, Report on the Standardization of Salaries in the State Service, House Document 1175, 1918, Auditor, Statement of General and Special Appropriations and Expenditures.
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