Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-30
The District Estimates,

With all respect for the President
position as the head of the government,
and the one therefore responsible fol-
administrative efficiency and economy, i,
may be suggested that the District eSti-
mates are not properly subject to the
use of the pruning knife at this time
The local budget differs radically from
the other appropriation bills passed by
Congress annually. Whereas those
others draw exclusively from the federal
Treasury. the District bill draws only to
the extent of one-half of it's total amount
from the government fund. The gov
eminent, moreover. is under a peculiar
obligation in the premises. 1t has pledged
itself to partnership with the District
in the maintenance of the National Cap
ital by an act of Congress which has
never been repealed or amended, though
IL has been ignored and violated in spirit
on numerous occasions. Under the terms
OF this act the District Commissioners
are required to submit an annual esti-
mate of the amount of money REQUIRED
TO the run capital municipality. To the
extent that that estimate is approved by
the Secretary of the Treasury Congress
supposedly appropriates 30 per centum
from the federal revenues. the balance
being raised by taxation upon property
in the District.
According to the organic at the
amount of the local taxation was to
depend upon the sum appropriated by
congress. This practice, however, has
oeen altered in the course of years until
now virtually the amount of the appro-
priation depends upon the amount of the
prospective local tax revenues. Thus if
the District is going to raise S7,OOOOo
In taxes during the next fiscal year the
annual budget for that year will be
theoretically s14.OOO.OOo less the amount
which Congress decides shall be turned
back into the Treasury to reimburse the
United States for funds advanced to the
District to pay for large permanent inn
provements.' There is no fixed rate for
this reimbursement, and under the pres
ent practice of Congress the curtailment
OF the appropriation simply means the
turning back of a larger sum into the
Treasury in liquidation of the District s
floating debt to the United States, at a
rate far In excess Of the requirements of
equity and seriously hampering every
department. Of the municipal government.
II the District were on a businesslike
financial basis, repaying its permanent
improvements debts on a long term of
refunding, with an adequate expenditure
annually for the upkeep of the various
municipal departments. 1t would be pos
sible TO economic by trimming down the
annual budget, without causing any in
jury to the local welfare. But the ap-
preparations are now SO curtailed, to per-
NIT the refunding of the floating debt in
large installments, that the estimates cam
not be further cut without seriously ham,
pering the municipal administration in
lines affecting the public health and
safety. True economy in the District lies
not in the direction Of reducing the esti-
mates now. but in establishing the local
finances upon an equitable basis, and if
the President is keenly concerned on the
score of the Districts budget he can
render material assistance by writing
into his annual message a strong recon-
mendation for the extension to the cap
ital municipality by Congress Of the fair
financial treatment for which its Com
missioners have been annually petition
ing for long period, involving the sepa-
ration of the budget into items of cur
rent maintenance and refunding for per-
manent improvements.