The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-15
THE DISTRICT DEFICIT
A Financial Problem Confronting
the Commissioners.
The Opening and Extension of
streets Increases the Floating
Debt - Congress Votes Improve
mcnts without Providing the
Money-Rcceipts and Expenditures.

The District Commissioners were in ses-
sion yesterday for several hours. going
over the estimates for the fiscal year end
ing June 30. 1901. which they will submit
to Congress. 1t was learned after the ses-
sion ended that the Commissioners were
face to face with serious problem.
II is no longer secret that the District
finances are gradually running behind. on
account of the increasing expense of OPEN
| ing and extending streets. Figuring as
closely as the expert accountants of the
municipal departments can do, they find a
big balance to cover between the estimated
receipts of the present fiscal year and the
necessary expenditures in sight. This
| deficit. it is now expected, will reach pro-
portions of about $685.. coo.
The expenditures which will bring about
this estimated shortage in the funds OF
the District will he due solely TO street
improvements which Congress has author
lied. Congress requires that the District
shall bear alone the financial burden of
opening and extending highways, while it
shares half and half all other expenditures.
Congress votes to Improve the highways
and the District must pay the bills.
With view TO placing the exact facts of
the situation before Congress, the Com
missioners have caused statement to be
PREPARED by the Auditor of the District
This statement shows that during the ifs
cal year ending June so 1899. the revenues
OF the District amounted to s3.656. 622 90.
10 TINS sum surplus of s9l75Sl.9i was
added, making total sum of s4.5I4, 204.1f
During the fiscal year of 1893 the District
was required TO pay the sum of s.. 26S. 725
as its half of the expenses OF the NUM-
cipality the other half being. of course
paid by the United States. During the
same period there was paid wholly from
the District revenues on account Of street
extension. &c. the sum of SOC 2e3 SO. max
ing the total amount paid out of the Dis
tr1cts revenues during the FISCAL year
ended June 80. 1899 So. g70. g4S. Sc. which
left an apparent surplus the fst OF July,
1889. Of 500. 255.2s.
The estimates OF expenditures for the
hsoal year of 1901. based upon the appro-
priations asked by the Commissioners. are
S5.f6s.l12, one-half of which. or $685.. $50.
the District will be called upon 10 nav. II
IS further estimated by the Commissioner
that not less than sl.3s9. 3S6 viii be re-
.quired between now and July l. 1900. to
pay for street Improvements already au-
'A-'-lSeh bN law as tbllDNSs Or Eleventh
Street. $4,000; for Rhode Island Avenue.
$4,000; for Sherman Avenue. s1O0. 600 and
Tor Sixteenth Street.. 1854, 3S6 The amount
paid on account of street extensions during
the current fiscal year is S117. 97ls5. which
added 10 the sums estimated for the four
thcrCughfares above mentioned gives a
fetal Of Sl,457.357.65. This sum added TO
the amount which il is expected the Dis
trict will have to provide as its half OF
the expenses of the coming fiscal year
makes grand total OF 81, 81 944.2S
The surplus revenue July /, 1899. as
stated. was s603.255. Lapsed appropriations
amounted TO $500 The assessors esti-
mate OF receipts for the current fiscal year I.
aggregate S3,567.2s These items added
produce the sum OF sl.2l5.s 36 This amount
deducted from the estimated expenditures
Of s4.S41.9i4 leaves $685. 0s as an expected
deficit for June 20. 1900
The Commissioners see no way out OF
he financial difficulties by which they are
unless Congress comes 10 their
aid. If the provision OF the street extern
zion acts requiring the District to meet ali
The expense should be repealed and the
United States should bear half the burden
If street Improvement. all would be well.
Il this Is not done there will be no remedy
but TO scale down the estimates for er-
oeuditures in the fiscal year of 1900 by
,bout 81 g5O 200