Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-22
The District Estimates.

For some years past the District COM
missioners have been submitting to Con-
Rress estimates for the support or the
capital municipality In excess OF the pros
pective revenues, thus deliberately ex-
ceeding in anticipation the local resources
on the principle that Congress should In
equity grant a separation OF the TWO
general classes Of expenditures. those
for current maintenance and those 1of
permanent Improvement, and should pro-
vide for the latter by some measure OF
extraordinary revenue production, 10 De
refunded on a long-term basis. Congress
has now forbidden this practice by spe-
officially limiting the Commissioners to
the submission Of estimates not ex-
ceeding in the aggregate a sum equal to
twice the total estimated revenues OF
the District for the fiscal year. The
local tax revenues being now estimated
for the year ending June go 1911. at
$4,000, 900. the Commissioners are by the
present statute restricted to the sub
mission of budget of not more than
100000. inclusive of provisions for
permanent works for current mainte-
nance and for interest on the funded
and unfunded debt of the District.
There is nothing in the law to pre-
vent the Commissioners from estimating
to this full amount regardless Of the
prospect that Congress will appropriate
part of the available funds for the re-
duction of the floating debt which the
District owes to the federal government.
The current law provides that all adj
vances that have been made to the Dis
trict under that and prior acts of Con-
gress shall be reimbursed to the federal
treasury out OF the revenues of the Dis
trict from time to time. within five
years, beginning July 1, 1910" Congress
does not stipulate a fixed rate OF reim-
bursement The Commissioners are not
obligated to anticipate any certain al
lotment Of funds in the next appropria-
ton act for this purpose. In other words.
while it is probable that Congress will
reduce the tax revenues available for
miscellaneous appropriations by a con-
siderable sum in order to reduce the
debt of the federal treasury, this item
is not to be necessarily regarded as
fixed charge comparable with the in
terest due on this loan. or with the sal
aries attached to already established
Offices and with the general range Of
local needs.
The Commissioners are not engaged In
legislating in performance Of their func-
tons as estimators Of the District fiscal
requirements. They are stating the To-
cal needs. leaving to Congress the appor-
tionment to the various requirements Of
the available fund. For tho Commission
ers to make provision In their estimates
for any particular amount Of money with
which to meet the demands Of the
treasury for reimbursement would be
an invasion OF the congressional
prerogative. and possibly such an
action might be regarded as eva
sion Of the duty Of laying before Con-
gress a full statement of the capitals
necessities up to the limit set by the
statutes. II Congress desired that the
Commissioners should make allowance in
specific terms in their estimates for these
annual reimbursements 1t would doubt
less have SO stated in the act, by de-
claring for at least a minimum of an
nual repayment.
The Commissioners will be justified by
every consideration Of the local neces-
sites and by a fair reading of the
statute in submitting to Congress an es-
innate of needs calling for the expendi-
ture Of approximately $12.6OO,Oo0.