The Washington times., 1902-10-29
District Commissioners Let
ter OF Transmittal Details
the Actual Needs and the
Probable Revenues.
Aggregate Amount Askedfor
the Fiscal Year Beginning
July /, 1908, Is SIo,075,652
Advance by Treasury.

completed and passed upon the schedule
of estimates for the expenses of the mu-
nicipal government for the fiscal yea1
beginning July /, 1903. The aggregate
amount asked for is Sl0,S75, ,G52, exclusive
of the amount of s633, ,90S.71 which will be
due under existing laws on July
of next year for advances made by the
United States Treasury on the District
account.
In the letter of transmittal to the Sec
retary of the Treasury. the Commission
ers have made the following Introductory
and explanatory statement:
The Commissioners have prepared the
estimates of the appropriations for the
District of Columbia for the next fiscal
year in accordance with the actual needs
of the District, with reference to the
probable revenues, and upon the prin-
ciple adopted by the Commissioners two
years ago, that extraordinary improve
ments should be provided for. as else
where, by sinking fund rather than
out of current revenues.
I'VE have recommended for two years
that Congress provide for such projects
as the filtration plant, the sewage dis
posal system, the District Building, the
Municipal Hospital, new bridges, and
the Districts obligations under legisla-
tion for abolition Of grade crossings and
construction of new railway terminals.
by advances from the United States
Treasury, so far as the Districts one
half of the cost is concerned, to be re-
paid in suitable term of years. with
interest, by an annual appropriation
from the current revenues to a sinking
fund
Fear of Gripping Operations.
.'We cannot meet the heavy demands
of such great projects, most of which
have already been authorized icy Con-
gress, out of current revenues without
so crippling the ordinary operations of
the District government by cutting its
necessary expenditures as to absolutely
disable it. The Districts needs grow
with its growth. Its current needs must
be met by increased appropriations. But
instead of this the appropriations for all
the municipal services must be cut down
if the cost of the extraordinary projects
of improvements-all of them also neces-
sary-is TO be taken currently out of the
regular revenues.
THE appropriation of current reye-
nues of the money for the work already
done on the filtration plant, the sewage |
disposal system, the District Building. |
taken with the appropriation of District |
revenues for the entire cost of street |
extensions, has produced an apparent |
deficiency in District revenues. Con-
gress has recognized the principles ad- |
yocated by the Commissioners TO the ex-
tent of making appropriations for the |
current needs of the District and for the !
extraordinary projects TO an amount
larger than the net revenues, and pro-
riding for the deficiency each year by
authorizing advances from the Treasury
on account of general expenses of the |
District Of Columbia. 1t has not form
ally separated the extraordinary projects
from the current expenditures, as we
hope il may do at the coming session.
1t has also required that the ad-
vances made up to the 1st of July next
shall be paid within three years. AS it
is estimated that by that date those
advances will amount to 81 ,a0l. .T26. I5.
This would mean that if no further ad-
Nances were made and no extension
granted We would have to pay. BEGIN
ming July j. next. S6S3, ,9OS.71 annually.
Estimate Dependabl Revenues.
Now, while We have no official esti-
mate OF the District receipts for the next
fiscal year. we have unofficial estimates
indicating that they will amount to
something over s5,o00,0OO perhaps So
100000. II ii should be the latter
amount. and Congress should appropri-
ate. dollar for dollar. from the national
Treasury, according 10 the obligations
Of the organic act. the available amount
for all purposes would be $40, 500, 600.
We have made up our estimates. af-
ter reducing those submitted to us. in ,
a very searching and thorough revision,
from over s12.0o0.090, on the principles
indicated, and therefore, ask for s10,-
'15,652, in spite of the fact that if s6S3,-
,oS.7l are to be deducted on the Ist of
July next on account of one-third of the I
advances already made from the United
states Treasury, there would not be
5nough money left TO meet the esti-
mates
We purpose to ask Congress to treat !
II least four items in this years esti-
mates rs belonging properly TO a sepa- Y
ate account for extraordinary improve :,
nents, TO be met by advances from the
Treasury. TO be repaid with interest by
| sinking fund. They are: 81. 46S, 405 for
ltration plant; s565, 600 FOR continuing b
he sewage disposal system: $3.50 600 for /,
'eginning the municipal hospital and
10000 for the Connecticut Avenue :,
ridge. amounting in all to 50, 433. .405.
Provision for District Building.
Besides these items. similar proyis
on should be made for our obligations
nder the railway terminal legislation
nd for the District building which can b
ot now be estimated. If this is done, c
he current revenues viii be ample TO
aeet all current expenditures and to
rovide a large sum for the sinking fund, L
o repay the advances from the Treas
ry on account of extraordinary projects. y
hc estimates are economical in every
cnse. After the Commissioners had c
lade one careful revision of them they
lade another. and deferred some things
Thich they will ask next year. !