Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-13
The Commissioners Estimates.

1t would appear from the preliminary an
nouncements of the course being pursued
by the Commissioners in preparing their
estimates that the annual problem OF
providing adequately for the capitals grow
ing needs will be presented to Congress at
the coming session familiar lines. The
Commissioners find that the probable local
revenues for the fiscal year to follow will
be a. 500, goo. which If duplicated by cor
responding sum under the terms of the or
ganc act will give a total amount of $9.OOO,-
0O0. The current appropriation bill carries
$7650. 900. much less than the District
should spend during the present year. If it
Is soon to catch up with it's necessities and
develop properly the national capital.
Indeed, it appears likely that the Commits
sioners will proceed as they did last year
and make up their estimates the basis
of what Washington should have in order
to be adequately administered.
There is ample ground for this course in
the present situation. The organic act con-
templates annual budget just twice the
amount of the local tax revenues. But 1t
does not contemplate that Congress shall
force the District TO pay for great perma-
nent improvements Immediately out Of cur
rent revenues. Therefore the Commissioners
that such works should be financed on a
long-term payment basis and that mean
time the District is entitled to spend all its
tax money. plus an equal amount from the
federal treasury. on current needs after a
sufficient sinking fund has been provided to
lquidate the debt involved in the capital
development project.
In other words. in the absence of statutes
the subject this wars faS
be framed were last years. on the as
sumption that Congress will treat the Dis
trict in businesslike manner. and not with
unjust. cheeseparing economy. If there
were no big enterprises under way such as
the municipal building, the filtration plant
the railroad terminals. the Anacostia river
Improvement and the sewage disposal estab-
iiShment. If there were no accumulated
debts for street extensions which should
have been paid for equally by both partners.
then 1t would be proper to hold strictly to
the basis of dollar of federal money for
every dollar of local tax money actually In
prospect Then there would be no warrant
for anticipating the future income. Then
Congress would have reason for cutting the
bill down far below the estimates il the
Commissioners asked for s10.OO0OO0 with
only 100000 in sight under the terms of
the organic act But these plans, which in
volve such heavy drains on the local reve-
nues are not for the present generation Of
taxpayers alone. They are for all time,
for the benefit of the taxpayers of the next
century well those of this. There Is
no more reason why the present taxpayers
should pay all the cost of these works than
that the organizers of great business in
stitution should pay the entire initial cost
of construction out of the first years re-
ceipts.
1t is therefore gratifying to understand
that the Commissioners propose to draw
their estimates according to needs and law
and business principles combined. They
will get short thanks from Congress if they
cut them down to the basis of the current
appropriations. and the District will prob
ably suffer further curtailment in the pro-
vision for the current needs. They may not
get all they ask for, but by holding strictly
to the principle they laid down last year
and the year before. they will not lose by
consistently maintaining the Districts con-
tent1on that these large permanent works
are charges upon posterity and that the or
ganic act did not contemplate their liauida-
ton out of the immediate current revenues