Evening star., 1924-12-04
The Districts Surplus.

Elsewhere il The Star today is print
cd the text of petition which was
sent TO Congress at the last session
by the Citizens Joint Committee of
the District asking action on Senate
bill 70S giving effect 10 the findings
of the joint congressional committee
concerning the existence and amount
of the accumulated tax surplus to
the credit of the District of Columbia
sn the Treasury of the United States.
This bill has now passed the Senate
and has been approved by the House
District committee. 1t therefore &C.
cupies the position of almost finished
business. 1t requires only considera-
tion by the House for it's enactment
and for the closing thereby of an
account which has been pending for
q long time between the District and
the United States.
1t is Of the utmost Importance to
the District that this legislation be
enacted, for by it a net balance of
S4.438,15492, which has been declared
d
TO be legally and morally due the
District after all legal and equitable
additions and subtractions have been
made. will be made available for ap-
preparation to meet the Districts S
urgent needs of development.
Existence Of this surplus as an
equitable credit of the District was
established after a thorough inquiry
by joint committee, which was in
structed to ascertain what funds were
due the District from the United
States, or due the United States from
the District. The committee found
that the United States had recognized
credit items in its favor from time
10 time in the past and had reim-
hursed itself from District revenues
1t also found that over and above
such credits due the Federal Treasury
and satisfied by assessments on sew
eral occasions various sums remain
due to the Districts credit, mainly
in the form Of District tax money
accumulated without appropriation
and remaining in the Treasury. The
amount stated as the Districts final
net balance. $4,43S,154.92, the joint
committee recommended to be made
available. The Senate bill 7O3 was
drawn to give effect to that recon-
mendation. It was passed by the Sen
ate and, as stated, approved by the
House District committed
With this bill on the House cal
endar with a favorable report, there
remains but little to do. A confer
ence is shortly to be held between
the members of the two District COM
mittees to determine a program OF
local legislation for this session, with
items arranged in the order of merit
Surely at the top of the list should
be placed this BILL which is so nearly
enacted, which when passed will set
tie a question of long standing and
will release for immediate use money
that belongs to the District and which
CongI ess has withheld from appro-
priation.
The passage of this bill will make
possible, for example, the beginning
OF a comprehensive school building
program, denied thus far on the score
OF lack Of funds. But whatever use
may be made of it, the final and
formal settlement of this credit of
District money is an act of equity
tvhich Congress should no longer
deny.
Passage of Senate bill 703 is merely
the last act of d procedure initiated
by Congress with a formal avowaI OF
Financial obligation by q joint com
1nittee which gave full consideration
TO every conceivable Federal offset
against the Districts claim.