Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-06
ss.e04.71o.OO

7
Street-raiIway taxes
| on gross receipts. 3,74f, 1S1 90
--- 24612, 242. g
/ Total assessed value of real
| in the District of Columbia
on June 30, 1904. .......... 237, S62, geo. g
Rate Of General Tax.
The rate of general tax on real and per.
| sonal property by the act Of July 1. 1902
above mentioned, was fixed at $1.5O per $1O(
Of the assessed valuation.
Population.
Based upon the census Of 1900 and the
| normal rate Of increase, the Commissioners
| estimate the population of the District to
be approximately 100000.
Extraordinary Projects and Current
Expenditures.
| When the Commissioners began the prep
| aration of the estimates for the appropria-
| tons for the District Of Columbia for the
next fiscal year they found that the recon-
| mendations made to them through official
channels amounted in the aggregate to $14.-
| 175, 1880; that the estimated revenues of
the District for the next fiscal year amount
| ed to s., 462, 1876; that charged upon these
revenues was an interest payment estimated
| at $4,000, due the United States on the LIST
j VI July ucAl Ou ADVANCES mace 10 Tie LIS.
| trfct, and also the sum of $4,000 pledged
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
| on terminal improvements; that the appro-
prtatton fund would consist approximately
| of the net amount of the District revenues
plus an equal contribution from the United
| States Treasury under the organic act, and
| that the amount due the United States on
the temporary advances made by it to the
District up to the 1st Of July next was esti-
| mated at $2,313, 959.O7, repayable under the
last act on the subject, that of April q,
1904, within five years. from the 1st Of
July next, with interest at per cent until
so reimbursed. The self-supporting water
department of the District Of Columbia,
maintained entirely for the payments of the
water takers, is not included in this consid-
Grafton.
1t was obvious that If the estimates were
to be brought within the amount of the
probable appropriation fund they must be
cut SO deeply as either to suspend the COM
pletion of the extraordinary projects of i'm
provement authorized and directed by Con-
gress and prevent any new project of that
kind from being considered by Congress, or
to so cripple as to practically suspend the
different services of the District govern
ment. 1t was equally obvious that neither
of these things could be done without in
jury to the public interests and without
condemnation by public opinion. The Com
miSsioners had hoped that they would not
again be faced by this embarrassing d.
lemma. They had hoped that Congress
would accept their reiterated recommends
tlOn ana prOVl0e permanently Tor financing
the Districts share Of the cost Of the
extraordinary municipal improvements re-
Quired by the necessities Of the District and
authorized and directed by Congress. SO
that the Commissioners would have to pro-
vide in their annual estimates only for the
amount necessary for an annual payment
with interest on this account and for the
current expenditures of the District. They
had made this recommendation on the prin-
cple accepted in every other municipality,
that extraordinary municipal improvements
cannot be and ought not to be paid for cur
rently out of the regular revenues.
Everywhere else such extraordinary prof.
ects which are to benefit the future and
are too costly to be paid for out of cur
rent revenues are provided for by borrow
Ing amounts which are to be repaid in
reasonable time, thus saving the current
revenues in great part for current expedi-
lures. The Commissioners were aware that
the United States did not need to borrow
money for Its share of these extraordinary
appropriations, but they knew that the Dis
trict could not meet its share currently. 1t
was not question of whether the District
should incur Indebtedness for this purpose.
for that obligation was imposed when Con-
gress provided for the construction of the
filtration plant. the sewage disposal sys-
tenn, the District government building, ETC.,
carried on contemporaneously, making an
unparalleled amount Of extraordinary i'm
provement. 1t was only a question of
how the Districts obligation could be best
met without interfering with its current
neeQS, growing WITH us STOWlH. knowing
that Congress would not authorize a bond
issue such as would be made elsewhere
for this purpose. the Commissioners rec
commended that advances should be made
partner the United States, to the partner,
the District Of Columbia. the former having
custody and control Of the reve-
nues Of the latter and also APP
tradordinary projects of improvements. so
that nothing could be done without it's
action. These advances were to be repaid
within a reasonable period Of years and
with interest
1t was estimated by the Commissioners
that not more than $1O,0O0.000 would have
to be advanced on this account for all
projects authorized or likely to be author
principle in part. made temporary provi-
sion in the acts Of February IL, 1901, July
1, 1902, March 3, 1903, and April u, 1904
for advances from the Treasury, to meet
any deficiency in the District revenues, on
a general account. mixing both extraordi-
nary and current expenditures, and with
out separate provision Tor the extraordinary
improvements which alone are responsible
for deficiency in the District revenues,
since the latter are ample for all current
expenditures. AS this legislation expires
the list of July next there is no provision
for the Districts share of the extraordi-
nary expenditures of the next fiscal year
nor the following fiscal years Therefore
1t is to be presumed that Congress at the
and 1t is hoped that 1t will then make
a nermanent arrangement upon the plan
suggested by the Commissioners.
II was only this hope which justified the
commissioners, in the face Of the facts re-
speeding the Districts finances, in recon-
intending appropriations amounting to $12,-
AIS 1856 IS, on account Of extraordinary and
current expenditures regarded by them as
absolutely necessary for the next fiscal
wear Even with this hope they did not
feel justified in recommending all that
might properly have been recommended
under the head Of current expenditures, but
reduced the estimates submitted to them
nv nearly 81 100000. in view of the peculiar
situation Of the District finances. Public
school buildings fire department stations
and other things needed by the District for
the Improvement Of its municipal services
and their extension with the growth of pop
ulation. were deferred for this reason THE
Commissioners were obliged to include es-
Inmates for extraordinary municipal inn
proyements aggregating s., 1885,, 600
The triennial reassessment of real estate
and the new personal tax and license law
have Increased taxation as far as is at
present justiaable. the estimated revenues
Of the District, exclusive of the water de-
partment, being s.. 462, 1925 for the next fiscal
year There Is no question that these reye-
nues are ample for all the needs of the Dis
trict IL it is not compelled to pay its share
of the extraordinary appropriations Cur
rently It can not do this without cutting
it's current expenditures and thus failing to
meet its current needs, as has already been
the case. Therefore, the Commissioners ra.