Evening star., 1922-09-25
Commissioners Will Make
Final Plea Before Board
Tomorrow Morning.
s30,984,035 TO BE ASKED
AS MINIMUM SUM NEEDED
School Needs, Street Repair and
Sewer Plans Will Be
Explained.

The District Commissioners will go
before Brig. Gen. H. NJ Lord, director
Of the budget, at the Treasury De-
| partment at 9 o'clock tomorrow
| morning to defend their supplemental
estimates of se,SS1,52o for the mex.
| fiscal year.
1t is expected the hearings will
! consume all OF tomorrow and We'd
nesday. during which time the city
| heads and Auditor Daniel J. Donovan
will do their best to convince the
| budget director that the local gov
| ernment will not be able to give
| it's people the most essential NUM-
cipal needs unless the supplemental
| items are allowed.
! Engineer Commissioner Charles
| Keller in all probability will make
| the argument in behalf Of the request
| for approximately $1,200.000 for paw
1 ing streets in all sections of the
| city. which have deteriorated as
| result of inadequate appropriations
since the war period.
Plan Plea for Schools.
The Commissioners are preparing
for the hearing on the assumption
| that they will not be called upon to
| testify in support OF the regular es-
Inmates of $24,50o,ooo, since the bud
get bureau itself fixed that limit
What the city fathers hope to do is
to convince the budget officials that
an appropriation bill OF only $24,500.-
600 will do little more than meet the
| operating expenses Of the various
branches OF the local government,
leaving, essential improvements un-
provided for
Crowded conditions in the public
schools of the nations capital will be
called to the attention of Gen. Lord
! at tomorrows hearing as justification
for the item Of approximately $1,000
600 In the supplemental estimates for
new sites and buildings.
1t is understood that the regular
budget carries $500, 900 for the school
system. but nearly all OF that sum is
tor maintenance and operation of the
educational system. According to re-
liable reports. only about $500, 900 il
allowed in the regular budget for the
school building program
| More school buildings and better
streets are not the only necessities Of
city life for which the Commissioners
will ask in defending their supple
! mental budget Of S6.00o.000.
The city has grown so rapidly In
the past few years that the sewer
! and water departments also must
iioNS ioi SCI dppI ldllOnS II lney are
to supply scores of new dwellings
with these two important facilities
The necessity for larger appropria-
tions for the laying of new sewers
was illustrated in the letter the Com
missioners addressed to Gen, Lord
last week. which disclosed an in
crease Of IS per cent in the number
OF antiquated privie3 in Washing
ton.
$3O,0S4,OsS Needed.
| In connection with appropriations
for water rUins and new sewers, the
Commissioners call attention to the
fact that the property owners who
! benefit from such extensions pay a
special assessment. which greatly re-
duces the cost of such work to the
/ government.
! If the budget bureau allows both
the regular and supplemental esti-
mates the total will be s3o,sS4.035,
which. the Commissioners say. is the
minimum sum on which they can give
the people of Washington the things
they have a right to expect
1t Is expected that the Commission
ers also will take occasion at the
Forthcoming hearings to bring out the
| argument that estimates for the Dis
| trict government should not he cut
like the estimates OF a federal de-
| partment, since only 40 per cent of
! District appropriations are charge
4 able to Uncle Sam. And in addition
/ to meeting so per cent of the appro-
| priation bill. the taxpayers of the city
| pay special assessments for all
: streets, alleys and sidewalks that are
! paved and for all sewer and water
/ mains laid.
Executive Session.
| District officials also called atten-
ton today to the fact that Congress
only a few months ago repealed the
law, which for a number of years. has
prevented the Commissioners from
| asking for more in their annual esti-
mates than twice the citys revenue.
/ This Is regarded at the District build
| ing as an indication that Congress
would be willing to consider esti-
! mates for the full needs Of the city.
! The hearings beginning tomorrow
| will be before the board of estimates
! of the budget bureau, composed of
the following: Brig. Gen. H. NJ. Lord,
! Gordon Ramsey. Redmond D. Ste
phens Fred w. Wight and Judge w.
! w. Warwick.
The board will hear the Commits
! sioners In executive session.
26 HEIn FOR RlOTING