Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-16
District Estimates and Revenues.

Under the organic act the Commits
sioners of the District are required to
submit annually estimates of the needs
of the capital municipality. and to the
extent that they are approved by the
Secretary of the Treasury and by Con-
gress appropriations are made the
basis of half District and half federal
money, the local tax money being raised
in sum necessary to meet this appro-
prIatlon- Under the act of 1909 the
Commissioners are estopped from esti-
mating beyond the total of twice the
amount of the estimated District reve-
nues. Under these laws there can be
no surplus of District revenues. if Con-
gresS appropriates to the limit of the
Districts income, on the half-andhalf
basis. But now it is announced that,
without being under any compulSion
of Jaw. but under pressure from the
President, the Commissioners are franz
ing their estimates at point consid-
erably below the estimated local reve-
nues, the budget totaling probably
Sl3,500,000. while the District income
would Justify a total expenditure of
$16.D0O,0GO.
In view of the opinion just rendered
ny the District auditor, who, however,
is not vested with the last word in the
matter, surplus District funds unap-
propriated and uneXpended at the close
of the fiscal year cannot be viewed as
revenues on which estimates can be
based If, therefore. the Commissioners
estimate only s13,500,0OO and this
amount is appropriated-the District
paying S6,750,000 of this amount-and
the total District income next year is
sS,00O.000 the surplus will be increased
by 'one million and quarter, and this
sum will pile up in the Treasury on top
of the surplus from the current year,
while the tax burden continues to be
increased through the operation of the
new assessment, which raises the taxa
ton basis on the average property.
Here, then, is the dilemma with which
the District is faced-a rising tax total
and a relatively falling expenditure.
Meanwhile the Districts needs are in
creasing steadily 1t is growing as a
municipal organization, its population is
increasing steadily, it's needs are ex-
panding in the ordinary lines of mu-
niclpal management, and it can legitI-
mately and proitably spend every dol
lar it raises on the half-and half basis
To deny it the use of it's own money on
tIAS ostSiS, WHiCu HAS Tie recognition
of the Supreme Court of the United
States fundamental constitutional
guarantee, is to cramp it in all of it's
lines of expansion, to pinch it's school
funds, to deny it adequate police and
fire protection, to lessen the efficiency
of its protective health service to de-
prive it of needed permanent works
in short, to maintain it on a basis of
r,;,
by the financial conditions.
No consideration of national finances
should operate to reduce the Districts
appropriations even in times of stress,
such as this for a moment appears to
he. The United States is under formal
obligation to the District to match its
tax dollars with federal dollars. one
for one. That is as binding upon the
United States as the requirement to
pay interest on it's bonds, and the ex-
i<tence of a surplus of unappropriated
District tax money in the Treasury is
a reproach to the federal government
II Congress will not permit the District
TO spend all the money it raises on the
basis of the law of 1878 it should in
sure a lessening of the tax burden to
prevent the accumulation of a useless
surplus, the very existence of which is
d temptation to the appropriating body
to violate the principle of the organic
act The Commissioners, who owe their
first duty to the District, should GER
tainiy not stimulate the surplus-creat-
ing tendency by reducing their esti-
mates below the point of expected
revenues The proper course is for
them to submit "a requisition to the
full amount of the estimated revenues,
in order to meet the legitimate needs
of the municipality. which call for the
expenditure of all the money prospec-
lively ailable, and even more.