Evening star., 1922-12-17
Commissioners Will State
School, Paving and Other
Needs to Congressman.
MAY SEEK $50, 100000
AT HEARING TOMORROW
Salary Increases and Repair Work
Make Larger Figure
Necessary.

The Commissioners will go before
the District subcommittee of the
| House appropriations committee to-
morrow morning prepared to testify
that the budget of s25,o43,s7s, trans
mftted to Congress by the budget bu-
reau. is not adequate to meet the
| urgent need for school buildings,
| street paving. sewer and water main
| extensions.
Commissioner Rudolph received
word yesterday afternoon that the
hearings on the local appropriation
! bill would start at 1o::30 tomorrow
/ morning. 1t is probable that only the
three Commissioners. Budget Officer
Donovan and Secretary Daniel +.
Garges will go to the Capitol the first
day.
According to reliable reports, the
city heads believe that the estimates
of more than $30.000,o00 compiled at
the District building included only
urgent needs that should be provided
| for.
Present Needs Stated.
| Briefly. these needs are: Construc-
! tion of school buildings, purchase of
| land for schools that will have to be
built in the near future, street paving
work all over The District, laying of
necessary water mains, extension of
sewers to supply new houses and for
better street lighting
The city fathers will make another
| appeal. as they have in the past. for
early consideration by Congress of
salary increases for the statutory en-
ployes of the local government
The District estimates do not pro-
! vide for higher wages for this group
| OF long-neglected clerks. but it is
known the Commissioners would have
inserted higher salaries had not the
| budget bureau issued instructions
that it would be useless to do So
The Commissioners feel the efficien-
cy of all branches of the municipal
service is being impaired by made
quate salarieas paid to the STATUTORY
| workers. While they are not very
hopeful of having such increases writ
ten into the next appropriation act.
If the opportunity presents itself they
will not overlook the chance to call
the salary situation again to the at
tention of the subcommittee.
The police. firemen, school teachers
and per diem employees of the Dis
trict all have had wage increases in
recent years. the Commissioners say,
| while the statutory clerks have had
| no general revision for forty years.
aside from the bonus granted all gov
ernment employees.
Salaries Inadequate.
If the salary question is opened up
at the forthcoming hearings the
Commissioners will tell the committee
that valuable young employees are
constantly leaving the municipal
service because of inadequate pay.
The faithful workers, who remain
! despite the salaries. do So District
officials say. because they have fami-
lies and hesitate to take the chances
which must be risked in outside en-
ployment.
Should the Commissioners be given
the opportunity to discuss at tomor-
of S30.964.035. 1t is expected they will
call the committees attention to the
rapid growth taking place in Wash
ington, leaving unpaved streets and
unfinished service mains in its wake.
This year the Commissioners will
not have to give the subcommittee an
| estimate of the revenue to be col
lected by the District during the next
fiscal year, because they are no
longer required by law to keep their
| estimates within twice the amount of
| revenue.
Small Excess This Year.
At the outset tomorrow the city
heads will show the committee that
| while the budget bureau transmit
| ted $25,043,973, the estimates proper
| aggregate only s22,490.110.
The difference betwsen these two
! figures consists Of $1.o41.o2o for the
! water department, which is met
wholly out of water rents. and $1.512,-
s43 of trust and special funds, no
part Of which is paid by the federal
or District governments.
They will show the committee fur
ther that the new estimates OF $685.
o43,s73 are only s577.764 in excess of
current appropriations.
Representative Davis. chairman of
the District subcommittee. has been
sick, and it is probable that Rep
resentative Cramton- will be in charge
| of the hearings tomorrow.
1t is not likely that the Commits
sioners will be able to complete their
testimony before the House subcom-
mittee prior to the adjournment for
l christmas