Correspondence and subject files

Arranged roughly by date, then by topic or agency.

This series consists of correspondence and subject files from the Office of the Chairman of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. The records pertain to Committee activity during the chairmanship of Abbot Low Moffat (1936-1943) and D. Mallory Stephens (1943-1952). Overall, the records reflect the role of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee in approving all state government expenditures.

The bulk of the series consists of correspondence between the Chairman and legislators, state departments (particularly the Division of the Budget), and constituents; Department budget requests providing justifications for increased allocations for state departments, institutions, authorities, and commissions; memoranda from state departments explaining the need for such allocations; copies of bills being considered by the Committee; reports prepared by Assembly committees or state departments; statements and press releases, usually issued by the Chairman, explaining the importance of an appropriations bill reported out of the committee; testimony at budget hearings by department officials and constituents; speeches given by the chairman; and lists of bills reported from the Committee during individual years.

In addition to the large amount of information pertaining to department budgets and appropriation bills, the records contain information on other areas of state and local government finances. These include: the finances and taxation programs of New York City; the New York State Postwar Public Works Planning Commission's allocations to assist capital projects for state and local government; the programs of the New York State War Council; allocations to eliminate railroad grade crossings; and allocations for improvements in state parks.

Container list.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.