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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2002
Executive Departments: When the constitution was adopted in 1844,
the State administration consisted of little more than the Governor, six
constitutional departments, and a single State institution, the prison at
Trenton. Since that time the number of State departments and agencies
has increased steadily. The movement has been checked, but never stopped,
by occasional consolidations involving a few related departments.
Today there are more than 80 separate administrative departments in
the State government; and if the semi-independent boards heading the
several institutions and agencies are included, the total is approximately
100 distinct administrative agencies.
A rough classification shows that there are approximately a dozen departments or agencies dealing primarily with the State's fiscal affairs;
about half a dozen primarily engaged in maintaining law and order; 8,
not counting the 17 separate institutions and agencies under the department of institutions and agencies, responsible for protecting public health
and welfare; more than 20, counting some 15 examining boards, engaged
in economic regulation and promotion; 16 or more responsible for public
works, conservation, and recreation; and about 2 primarily devoted to education and research. A few of these departments or agencies are at present
languishing for lack of appropriations, but they may always be revived by
new funds.
The State pay roll is the best index of the phenomenal increase in governmental operations during the past few years. From the fiscal year 1916-17 to the fiscal year 1936-37 the number of employees as reported by the
Civil Service Commission jumped from 2,900 to about 11,800; and the
pay roll climbed even more sharply from $3,600,000 to about $18,500,000.
The number and variety of the State departments and commissions long
have constituted an obvious argument for reorganization and simplification. For nearly 40 years such a movement has been under way, but progress has been slow. In 1925 the legislature received a plan for merging 78
permanent departments into 14 large units; nothing at all was done about
this report. Four years later the National Institute of Public Administration
made similar recommendations. Nearly all of these were likewise ignored,
but some fiscal reforms were made.
Princeton University was the next institution to play doctor to the State
government. Dr. Harold W. Dodds prescribed some of the same medicine
recommended by the Institute of Public Administration, including consolidation of all fiscal functions under one commissioner responsible to the
Governor. But the legislature showed its characteristic distrust of the Governor and instead of unifying the financial structure added one more department.
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