Journal of the Senate of the State of Texas, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature, Volume 1 Page: 25
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1969
of Texas than the landscaping of the cultural aspects of human endeavor,
historic Mansion grounds, conceived so we also have tried to awaken new
and carried out by my gracious first awareness of the importance of our
lady, Nellie. We both hope that the government, and to instill new pride
beauty and loveliness now found there and confidence in it. I am proud of
will convey in some measure to future the legions of competent, outstanding
generations our affection for that Texans who have undertaken posi-
lovely landmark, which we have had tions of responsibility on dozens of
the privilege to call our home for the boards and agencies and have brought
last six years. a new level of leadership to the op-
eration of State government.
"Current law required that I sub- "I hope, too, that this administra-
mit a budget to you, and each of you tion has helped advance understand-
received a copy of it in December. ing of the urgency of a broader out-
These recommendations indicate that look for State government. Certainly
nearly all the estimated $1.6 billion government should not plan nor dic-
available will be required to finance tate the lives of our people. But nei-
state programs at current levels, and ther can it be the archaic lodestone
to meet unavoidable increases in which shackles or handicaps its citi-
spending, such as our expanding en- zens. While most change will and
rollments in education. should be initiated by the private
"I did not presume in my budget to sector, we must recognize that gov-
take the role which properly belongs ernment is the vital, dominant factor
to the new Governor, and to you, by in many fields, and must perform com-
recommending expansions and in- petently and responsively functions
creases in State efforts where de- that the individual cannot realistically
mands and needs are great, and perform.
where only the new Governor and "State government cannot be satis-
this Legislature have the power of fled with simply meeting the day to
decision. day problems, as important as they
"I did recommend and I want to re- are. It cannot allow emergencies of
peat and re-emphasize this recommen- the hour to blind it to long-range
dation today-that State budget law problems and opportunities. Govern-
be amended to give exclusive respon- ment must supply the leadership and
sibility for an executive budget to support to a wide spectrum of human
the incoming Governor when admin- activity.
istrations change. I further recom- "Obviously, the nature and magni-
mended that every new Governor be tude of these needs and opportunities
provided funds immediately after his are impossible to deal with without
election to establish an office of the planning for the future.
Governor-elect, in order to enable "Who would have thought that we
him to prepare for the full assump- would be transplanting hearts and
tion of all the powers and duties of circling the moon in 1968? And yet
Governor upon his inauguration. I the knowledge explosion of the next
again strongly urge you to give full decade will make today's advances
consideration to these recommenda- outmoded, and the changes we have
tions, and to adopt them. witnessed will continue at an ever-
"The Texas Constitution further re- growing velocity. And the people of
quires that a retiring Governor give a nation with technology to orbit the
to the Legislature a full accounting moon are going to demand a better
of the condition of the State. This world in which to live. They are go-
I have done in a report which will ing to demand open space to enjoy,
be distributed to you later today. revamping of our transportation sys-
tem and a multitude of other im-
"To summarize the efforts of this provements. State government cannot
administration, we've tried to move effectively serve this era by meeting
forward on many fronts . . . trying five months every two years and deal-
patiently to find a better way . ing only with those needs of the
sometimes with dramatic success, hour, as important as they may be.
sometimes with only minute progress. "Without a modernized State gov-
"Some of our progress, which seems ernmental structure-responsive, effi-
intangible in nature, yet may be the cient machinery, we simply cannot
most significant in the long run. Just cope with the problems we face, no
as the actions we reviewed included matter how dedicated our public serv-
new attention to the historical and ants may be.25
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Texas. Legislature. Senate. Journal of the Senate of the State of Texas, Regular Session of the Sixty-First Legislature, Volume 1, legislative document, 1969; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth145999/m1/25/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.