The controller of Mercury Shoes Inc. instructs you to prepare a monthly cash budget for the next three months. You are presented with the following budget information:

Sales/Costs	April	May	June
Sales	$150,000	$175,000	$195,000
Manufacturing costs	66,000	87,000	115,000
Selling and admin. expenses	40,000	46,000	51,000
Capital expenses	0	0	120,000

The company expects to sell about 15% of its merchandise for cash. Of sales on account, 70% are expected to be collected in the month following the sale and the remainder the following month (second month after sale). Depreciation, insurance, and property tax expense represent $12,000 of the estimated monthly manufacturing costs. The annual insurance premium is paid in December, and the annual property taxes are paid in September. Of the remainder of the manufacturing costs, 80% are expected to be paid in the month in which they are incurred and the balance in the following month.

Current assets as of April 1 include cash of $42,000, marketable securities of $25,000, and accounts receivable of $198,000 ($150,000 from March sales and $48,000 from February sales). Sales on account in February and March were $120,000 and $150,000, respectively. Current liabilities as of April 1 include $14,000 of accounts payable incurred in March for manufacturing costs. All selling and administrative expenses are paid in cash in the period they are incurred. An estimated income tax payment of $24,000 will be made in May. Mercury Shoes regular quarterly dividend of $15,000 is expected to be declared in May and paid in June. Management desires to maintain a minimum cash balance of $40,000.

1. Prepare a monthly cash budget and supporting schedules for April, May, and June.
2. On the basis of the cash budget prepared in part (a), what recommendation should be made to the controller.