Evening star., 1920-11-28
!. Rate by Msil-Payable In Advance.
Me-. led >~l VSv0Snfa
District Estimates and Revenues.

In presenting their estimates to Con
xress the District Commissioners have
,proceeded on the basis that the net
revenues Of the District for the nex1
fiscal year will be $13,772, 400. They
have presented the needs of the DIS
trict for that period in terms of recon-
mendations totaling roughly twice that
amount, in compliance with the law
which forbids them to submit esti
mates exceeding double the estimated
local tax income. This would involve
il the estimates are fully approved, a
district appropriation bill for next
year Of $22,269,y2S and s3,723,4s3 car
ried in other measures than the Dis
trict bill.
- Inasmuch as the estimates run to
total equal to twice the estimated Dis
trict revenue they can be met, IL ap
proved in full by Congress. from the nor
NAL revenues only on a half-and-half
basis, that which prevailed from 1878
until the law for the present fiscal year
when the ratio was changed from
$3.50 to 6o-4G. II, however. the 60-40
ratio is re-enacted-the present law
runs only for the present fiscal year
the estimated District revenues will
not suffice for full appropriation to
the extent of the estimates. The Dis
trict's share of this total cost will be
greater than the estimated total tax
revenue.
In case Congress holds to the new
ratio of 60-4O, the District paying the
larger share of the cost of capital
maintenance, a meeting Of the esti-
mates in full can be effected, as re-
CARDS District contribution. by one OF
two ways. The unappropriated and
unexpended surplus Of District tax
money now lying in the Treasury may
be utilized to make good the deficiency
Of District funds, or a loan by bond
issue or short.term advance from the
Treasury can be authorized to the ex-
tent of the difference.
In case the surplus revenues are
drawn upon to supply this deficiency
that fund. which was created on a
$3.50 basis Of liability for District
maintenance. must in equity be ap-
propriated on that basis. These Dis.
trict dollars that are now awaiting
use for the Districts benefit should
have been spent in company with an
equal number Of federal dollars. II
now this surplus or any part Of it Is
turned into the current fund on the
S0-40 basis, or on any other than the
$3.50 basis, the government will be in
the position Of taking profit from
that surplus based on its own neglect
u duty in the past. 1t will take ad-
vantage of its own wrong.
AS far as they are announced the Dis
trict estimates go far toward covering
In a broad measure the urgent needs
OF the capital municipality. 1t is for
funate that the Commissioners have
been enabled thus to lay before Con-
sress the basis of a District bill which,
Il the recommendations are met, will
provide in more adequate measu. e
than ever before for the pressing
needs. In school equipment, with an
addition of more than two millions; in
charities and corrections. with an in
crease of nearly q million; in improve
inents and repairs. with an increase
6f nearly half million; in streets.
with an increase of about $500. 900; in
the fire department. with an increase
II about a quarter of q million; in
sewers, with an increase Of about three
hundred thousand dollars: in river i'm
provement work. with an increase of
about two hundred thousand dollars,
and with increases along all other
lines, these estimates constitute a
recommendation that Congress can
not ignore or materially amend with
out grievously injuring the District by
hampering its development.