The Washington herald., 1907-10-22
MCFARLAND MAKES REPLY
Commissioner Takes Exceptions to
the Views of Congressman.
Financing Of Extraordinary and
Current Expenses of Vital Imnort-
nnce-NO Additional Taxes.

Commissioner Macfarland makes the
following reply to the Congressman's in
terview in The Washington Herald yes
terday morning:
Tear the Congressman quoted did not
read all that I said. for if he had he
Wous have seen that, while the Com
Inissloners recommendation that the ex-
traordinary and current expenditures
should be financed separately appears TO
be only a matter of bookkeeping. il is Of
vital Importance as proposing a business
ike treatment of this matter. such as is
FOUND IN every other municipality
In the Congressman's own city. if he
lives in city. extraordinary appropriI-
tons, such as the 81. 500 900 asked bv the
board OF education for physical improve
ment Of the public schools are not paid
for out OF current revenues. but ont of
the proceeds Of bonds Obviously. no
municipality could pay for extraordinary
improvements and current expenditures
out OF current revenues without eonfsca-
tory taxation.
Here We cannot issue bonds, and do not
need to. We can borrow from our part
neT. the United States, who has the Gus
t0dy OF our tax money and the control
OF all appropriations. This is what we
L-eA% tAJ-lt ADl A-4t past S4& years. pay INK
per cent on the advances, made from
the Treasury. But unfortunately the
advances have not been charged I'D 10
the extraordinary appropriations and
kept separate on the books of the Treas
Ury, as we desire. The result has been
that the current expenditures have been
cut IN the attempt to make US pay for
extraordinary improvements and current
expenditures together. Hence the insult
ncient appropriations for the schools.
health. fire, police. street and road Inn
cleaning and lighting. and
other municipal services.
All the time We have had sufficient Dis
trlCt revenues 10 provide annually re8-
sonaDle repayment 10 the Treasury for its
advances which would cover the eX-
traOrdinary account and also for our
share of the current expenditures. for
which we need no advances from the
Treasury. We need no additional taxa
tion, but only a busineSslike financing Of
our appropriations.
To illustrate, our District revenues for
the next fiscal year are a little over
s., 800 coo Let us deduct S600.0l0 as a rea-
SOnable amount on the repayment of the
Treasury advances. This leaves US $500
600 for current expenditures, since the ,eX-
traordinary expenditures are 10 be pro-
Eided for separately by the Treasury adj
vance, for which the 100000 annual re-
payment has been set aside. Doubling
the S5.300OO0 by adding the governments
contribution of One-haf of the appTOpTia-
tions, We have an appropriation fund
available for current expenditures and
the interest and sinking fund Of the
Shepherd bonded debt of $10,600.000
The interest and sinking fund of the
Shepherd debt calls for SSa5,4tS We have
asked Tor current expenditures S9,410,50S
In ALL for bonded debt and current ex-
penditures $l0,375.9l6 is asked, or. to be
precise, S246,IA less than the apprOpria-
ton fund available for current eXpendi-
lures.
If the extraordinary and current appro- (
prlatOns are not separated, of course. /
one or the other must be cut, If the whole
budget is to be brought within the ap-
preparation fund of one years revenues
only.
All our citizens should work together to
insure the adoption of the Commission
aTS' recommendation and prevent such a i
,Uttng of the estimates, so unnecessary
and so detrimental TO every District in /
.eresC.