Evening star., 1902-04-26
THE DISTRICT BUDGET
Appropriation Bill Reported
to the House.
AMOUNT rs sS7,743,888
A PROPOSED CUT OF TEN
PER CENT.
Contingency in Case Provision for Ad-
ditional Revenue is Not Made Be-
fore the Fiscal Year Ends.

The appropriation bill for the District of
Columbia for the fiscal year 1903 was fin
ished by the House committee on appro-
priations this morning and reported to the
House of Representatives by Mf. McCleary,
who stated that the committee had appro-
priated all of the money available in the
most judicious manner possible.
The total amount appropriated by the bill
Is, exclusive of the water department. ST.
743,SSS.97, of which sum the general gov
ernment is required to pay s3,S7O, ,944 4S,
| that being one-half of the whole, exclusive
of the amount (s2,500) recommended for ex-
penses under the highway act The first
named sum is s., 697, ,593 less than the esti-
mates submitted by the Commits sioners
The amount appropriated for the general
expenses of the District of Columbia for
the current fiscal year Q902) is S, S,37o, ,5S1 "a,
or S626 69297 more than is recommended in
the bill for 1903.
The estimates of the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia, upon which the
Dill is based exclusive of the water depart
ment, aggregate S10.441 ,4S1 .97, one half of
Whlch amount exclusive OF expenses under
the highway act, or of such sum as Con-
gresS may appropriate, is required to be
drawn from the revenues of the general
government and the remaining one-han to
be levied upon the taxable property and
than the property of the United States and
the District of Columbia.
The amount recommended for the water
department. all of which is payable from
the water revenues is $123,1o being a re-
ducton OF SS,522 under. the appropriations
Tor the water department for the current
fiscal year.
1t is estimated that the water revenues
available for the fiscal year 1903 will
amount to 1894 600; but IT is provided In the
accompanying bill, as it was in the acts
for the current and ten preceding fiscal
years, that any surplus of these revenues
over the appropria tionS made specifically
therefrom Shall be applied to the work of
extending the high-seryfce system of water
distribution. Under these Indefinite appro-
prlatlons of the surplus water revenues
there has been expended up to December
81, 1901, for extending the high-seryice
system of water distribution the sum of
81, 1873 690.5S.
Estimated Districc Revenues.
The total general revenues of the District
OF Columbia for the fiscal year 1903, 1t is
estimated by the Secretary of the Treas
ury, will not exceed s3,75OOOO. The Com
mfssioners of the District have submitted
to Congress no estimate. indicating what
In their judgment such revenues will
amount to, but apparently acquiesce in
the e estimate made by the Secretary of the
Treasury.
The appropriations recommended in the
Dill and payable from the revenues of the
District amount to $3.S73, ,T44.4S. In addi-
ton to this sum appropriations have al
ready been passed by the House in the
legislative. executive and judicial and sum
dry civil acts chargeable to the revenues
OF the District aggregating s164,54s.
uEder the act Of February II, 1901, to
authorize advances from the treasury Of
the United States for the support of the
government Of the District of Columbia, 1t
Is estimated by the Secretary of the Treas
ury that advances will have been made by
June 80, 1902, amounting to not less than
S1,lOo,O0, one-fourth Of which sum with 2
per cent interest thereon, or not less than
800, is required by said act shall be
reimbursed the United States treasury out
Of the revenues of the District annually,
beginning July l, 1902. 1t will thus be seen
that Obligations fixed by law, provided
by bills already passed by the House and
proposed by the accompanying bill, entail
drafts on the District revenues aggregating
$4,31S,257.4S, or $5GS,237.4S in excess of the
total of such estimated revenues for the
fiscal year 1903.
Assessment Of Real Property.
revision Of the assessment of real
property in the District is now in progress,
and while it is claimed considerable in
crease in revenues will be realized there
under. the actual results can not be def1n-
itely known until after the probable ad-
journment of the present session Of Con-
gress.
The committee on appropriations, ap-
preciating the great disparity between the
revenues Of the District under existing
laws and the requirements of the govern
ment as estimated and recommended by
the Commissioners of the District, and
having no authority under the rules of the
House to recommend legislation increasing
taxes in the District or authorizing fur
ther advances from the treasury, so ad-
vised the Commissioners.
No legislation has thus far been enacted
to accomplish either Of these objects under
the recommendation of the committee of
the House having jurisdiction under the
rules.
A Cut Of 10 Per Cent Urged.
And while the bill has been prepared by
the committee with great care and provid-
ing according to their best judgment for
the requirements Of the government of the
District Of Columbia for the fiscal year
1903. they feel constrained to recommend,
and do recommend, the enactment of the
following provision in the bill, namely:
"A reduction of 10 per cent on all Of the
foregoing sums herein appropriated for spe-
Gifted salaries and for all other objects, ex-
cept for interest and sinking fund on the
funded debt of the District of Columbia,
shall be made, and no greater amount than
30 per cent of any of said foregoing sums ex-
cept that for interest ano sinking fund shall
De expended or oDllgateQ Tor the expenditure
unless there shall have been enacted by
Congress on or before July 1, 1902, a law
imposing for the fiscal year 1903 and there
after a tax on personal property in the Dis
trict of Columbia other than that owned by
the United States"
The foregoing provision would reduce the
total of the bill payable from the treasury
and from District revenues to 81 900 S94. 81,
and the amount thereof chargeab1e to Dis
trict revenues to $3.50, ,6g7 .43, or $203 3O25 81
less than the current revenues estimated on
basis of the last assessment on taxable
property and privileges
If the revision of assessed values in the
District now in progress results in any ap-
preciabie increase in re%enues, it. together
with the indicated surplus of $203, 1902 81,
ought to. and DOUBTLESS will, be sufficient to
meet the sums appreprtnted for 1903 in the
legislative and sundry ciyil acts. amounting
to $164 ,543, and the essutn of $2S0,50 requi-
site to be paid aftef July /, 1902. on ac-
count of advances made from the treasury;
hence the committee do not recommend any
further reduction In the appropriations
made by the bill than the 10 per cent pro-
posed.
Other Limitations Recommended.