The Washington times., 1922-09-17
CAPITAL FACES
RETROGRESS|O|V
District Commissioners Say
Budget Estimates Need
Increase.

CONTINUED from Local Page)
the claims Of the District for moro
liberal treatment.
With submitted estimates for the
amount allowed under the directors
orders. the Commissioners filed
supplemental estimate carrying
total of $685., $50. which they de-
clare should also be allowed to meet
pressing needs in the District.
Should the director stand by his
original demand that the District
stop all improvements and hold ex;
penditures $1,400, 900 lower than the
current year, the federal government
will have to pay for the support OF
the District 40 per cent OF s22.os4,-
652 or $s.S37, ,S6O.S0 and the District
tax x.payers will pay S13.566,791.20.
The water department will pay 1925
020 out of its revenues and s50,O0o
will be realized from miscellaneous
sources.
the District will have to set aside
$1,462,S43.
OF the total budget. the federal
government, under existing law,
would be responsible for only Sc per
cent.
The Commissioners are appealing
to the budget director not to
deal with the District OF Columbia
as he does with the Federal depart
ments and bureaus. which with
scarcely an exception, are money
spending agencies supported ex-
clusively by the Federal Treasury.
whereas the District Of Columbia
produces through local taxtaion
and from other sources Of revenue
more than 60 per cent Of its
annual expenditures. Many OF
these expenditures are, at least in
part, reimbursed, and to that ex-
tent should In strict fairness not
be charged as part Of the total"
May Discourage People.
Should the budget director per-
sist in his present policy 1t will
tend to discourage prospective
residents and home-builders from
adopting Washington as their
home" the Commissioners contend.
The shifting of the center Of popu-
lation. 1t is pointed out, has brought
about a condition where schools are
no longer convenient Of access for a
considerable part. Of the people.
"The older school buildings have
been neglected. Few of them are
properly lighted or heated and il Is
the exception rather than the rule
to find them even satisfa ctorilv clean
and well painted" says the Commits
sioners' letter. =. -
"If the total amounts In the orr
ginal and the supplemental estimates
are approved" says the letter. and
the appropriations are made by Con-
gress, by the end of the calendar
year 1924 It will have become pos
sible to provide a seat in the schools
for nearly every pupil. Part-time
classes and staggered school sched.
ules may then be practically ended,
and the use of the portable school
buildings of unsatisfactory character
abandoned: permanent pavements
can be furnished for the large mum.
ber of streets fully built up on both
sides with dwellings and other
buildings. and the main arterial
highways, connecting the District
with the excellent roads of the State
Of Maryland, can be put into good
condition so as no longer to reflect
reproach upon the National Capital
"Sewer and water service can be
supplied to all new buildings. and II
will no longer be necessary to resort
to the hufniliating expedient of de-
nying these necessities to those who
have a right to demand them"