The Washington herald., 1906-12-04
District Fathers Make Their
Report to Congress.
THEY ASK A NEW CONDUIT
Necessity for Equitable Legislation
Providing for Adjustment of Mu-
nieipal Expenditures Between the
United States and the District is
Pointed Ont by Commissioners.

I
report for the fiscal year ended June 30,
1906 The plan adopted five years ago of
recommending by estimate for extraordi-
nary projects of improvement calling for
expenditure and those of current and reg
ular character is adhered to.
| In the estimates the Commissioners rec
ommend for extraordinary projects Of i'm
provement $l.s75, 500, the items comprising,
/ District Building, s550,OO0; high pressure
fire protection service. S75O.0o0; suburban
sewers, $40O.S0O; municipal hospital for
chronic cases. 100000; railway terminal
work. $1,000
/ The receipts from all sources were S12.-
650170, as follows: Cash balances July /,
/ 1905. s4l2.96 taxes and other general rev.
enues, S5,094,744; trust and special fund col
lections, sS75, ,356; loan advances to the Dis
/ trict of Columbia by the United States
under the act Of March 2, 1gO5. $6i642S;
| United States payments from appropria-
tions under act of June II, 1913, $5,62l,6l5.
The expenditures were as follows: From
District Of Columbia appropriations, Sill
4S7, ,o53; from District of Columbia special
and trust funds, $S64,O7.
The unexpended balances of cash ad-
vances to disbursing officer and of trust
and special funds June 80 1906, were as
! follows: To credit of dlsbursing officer.
District Of Columbia, S155.2i5. 10 credit Of
special disbursing agent, municipal build
/ ing commission. 81. .S54; to credit Of special
disbursing agent. board of control, Rock
Greek Park, 81. .C55: to credit Of trust and
special funds. S1S6,SSl, making total Of
/ Sl2.651.17
! This exhibit shows a large expenditure
for objects not connected with the ordi-
nary current conduct of the District gov
ernment. the principal Of which are pay
ments on account OF trust funds, amount
ing to SS64, ,O77.5s, and expenditures on ac-
count Of public works Of extraordinary
character and magnitude, as follows:
Elimination grade crossings In cOnnec-
tion with Union Station, including pay
ment of awards of damages caused by
/ changes in grade of streets. S4l1,5S6; Con-
nectlcut avenue bridge over Rock Greek,
! 1913 72S: bridge over Anacostia River,
+ so. .03S; sewage disposal system, Sl,O00,sS2;
municipal building. $S74,753; filtration
plant, $685. 900; highway bridge across Po-
tonlac River, SAL. 600; total 50. 5000
/ II these amounts. namely. SS6i.005S and
/ s. 469 Gg9 81 be deducted from the total ac-
tual net expenditures of Sl2.30l, 1895, the
remainder, S7967, ,953 45. will represent the
cost of conducting the ordinary current
operations Of the District government for
/ the year.
The funded debt OF the District June 30.
4 1906 incurred under the local government
prior to July I. 1875, was $Il,5S7,7eO.
The unfunded debt due the United
States. arising from loan advances made
/ by the United States, was $2,951, 259.
making the total funded and unfunded
debt June 30. 1906. S14.51S.959
/ The District has a further matured liza
/ bility OF five payments of $4,000 each TO
the Treasurer OF the United States. in
| trust for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
| Company. TO meet the Districts half OF
/ Sl.5O9,000 required TO be paid in connection
with the railroad terminal improvement
under section of an act Of February y.
1901
General Assessment and Tax Rate.
The taxable real and personal property
IN the District of Columbia for the fiscal
year. based upon a valuation of all real
estate "at not less than two-thirds" OF
the true value thereof. and Of a valuation
Of personal property at "a fair cost value
over and above the exemptions" provided
by law. are real property taxable at the
rate of $40 per 500. S259. 45l. .SS5; personal
property, taxable at the rate of $50 per
500. SIS. .S16 096; building associations, gross
earnings Of, at per cent, SI3l. .9l3; cleo
trio lighting and telephone companies.
and incorporated saving banks, gross
/ earnings OF, at 4 per cent, S1,5S1.00i, gas
light companies. gross earnings of, at
per cent. Sl.673. .974: national banks, and all
other incOrpora ted banks and trust COM
panies, gross earnings of, at 8 per cent
g 2.g79,954; street railroad companies. gross
receipts Of at per cent, S3,596, 719, max
ing a total OF S26S, l31, ,2S7.
Financial ReadJustment Urged.
As to estimates for expenditures, the
Commissioners say: 1T has been impos-
sible without either halting extraordinary
projects of improvement regarded as nee
essary by Congress and the community
or Gripping the regular municipal serv-
ices to keep the estimates within the
amount OF the appropriation fund. Here
as elsewhere, extraordinary projects OF
Improvement must be considered sepa-
rately, and the cost of them treated diff
ferently from that of current expendi-
lures. The Commissioners have recon
mended from year to year that Congress
adopt a plan for financing the Districts
share Of the cost of the extraordinary
improvements, so as 10 provide for ad-
vances from the Treasury on that ac
count, to be repaid gradually in reason
able annual payments with interest; the
whole transaction to be treated as loan
from the national government to its Fart
ner, tho District government. to be car
rled separately on the books Of the
United States Treasury as a capital ac.
Is OF
diary improvements, the appropriation
Of every dollar necessary for them and
the custody and control of the District
revenues would. under this plan. con-
tiEue exclusively in Congress, there woulc
be no risk TO the national government In
its adoption, it would provide a perma-
nent businesslike settlement Of what as
t. stands, requires annual Legislation
necessarily Of an unsatisfactory kind
The District taxpayers, who are fairly
taxed, and are paying their taxes fairly
are misTepresented by a situation foi
which they are not responsible, so as
to seem unable or unwilling to provide
their share of the cost of necessary cur.
rent expenditure. The Commissioners be
lieve that Congress will not allow thi:
situation to continue much longer"
LegfsIatiOn Asked.
In the matter Of legislation urged BY
the Commissioners, the following meas.
ures are emphasized as necessary: A civil
service law for the District; the changt
of Inauguration Day to the last Thursday
in April; the allowance of two cadets al
West Point and Annapolis; authority fol
validation Of contracts when signed by
two Commissioners rather than the whole
board. as now; the passage Of law al
lowing straaf RAILWAYS 10 reach the nov