The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-20

Higher Basic Pay Granted
Finds Local Government
Without Funds

Because the appropriations for
salaries are short approximately
$4,000, several hundred employees
of the District government are
facing a lay-off before the end OF
the present fiscal year, unless
Congress grants a deficiency APP
preparation sufficient to pay
higher basic salaries allowed by
the personnel classification board
Departments of the District
government which are performing
such an important public service
as are the Health Department
and Building Inspectors office
will be forced to curtail their &C.
tivities by furloughing inspectors
or other employees if it is not pos
sible to remedy the situation be-
fore the end of the fiscal year.
Shortage Serious
The Health Department has a
shortage OF about $4,000. The Build
ing Inspectors office is short APP
proximately $1,000. Another large
shortage is in the corporation cOun.
CHS office which needs 81 800 more
to pay the present force in charge
OF litigation concerning the city
government. These departments are
suffering, according to Major Dan
lei J.. Donovan, District auditor.
The insufficiencies in other Of
fees are considerably less, but are
found in the majority of divisions
of the city government. Major Don
ovan expressed the opinion today
that many offices will be able to
absorb the deficiency in funds
through failing to fill vacancies in
positions. The departments in which
the shortage runs into the thou.
sands will not, however, be able
to meet the situation without ma
terialiy curtailing their activities.
Engineer Commissioner j. Frank
lin Bell declared he believed 1t II
the duty of the Commissioners ia
ask Congress for a deficiency APP
preparation to- cover the shortages
in such departments as the Health
Department and the building in
spector's office.
I'm these departments" Colonel
Bell said, there IS such an inn
portant public service being per
formed that believe it is the duty
of the Commissioners to ask for
a deficiency appropriation, since ii
is clearly the intent of Congress
that these salaries are to be paid
/ do not think the city could afford
to have the work or the Health De.
partment or building inspector cur.
tailed"
Comptroller General McCarI ruled
last April that heads of depart
ments are obliged by law to pay
the increases in salaries allowed by
reaIIocations gra, hted by the Per.
sonnet Classification Board. Step
ups resulting from efficiency
ratings, however, are not legally
mandatory, and the result of the
present situation will be that very
few District employees will get the
automatic raises in salaries which
their efficiency ratings would give
them for the present fiscal year.
500 Due for More Pay
1t is estimated that about 500
employees were given reallocations
salaries for the present fiscal year.
OF this number, about 900 employees
will lose their higher basic salary
increases.
The Commissioners, In the esri
mates for the present fiscal year
asked for $150,0O0 with which tc
pay higher salaries resulting from
high efficiency ratings. There was
but $4,000 appropriated for this
purpose. Altogether there are about
$500 District employees coming un
der classification.
Doctor William G.. Fowler, health
officer, stated that he had eighty
three employees in his department
The ajority of these were giver
realIocations. He was unable Il
state today how many would have
to be furloughed before the end OF
the fiscal year because of The
shortage.
He said he hoped that some way
out of the situation could be found
so that the food inspection serv
ice, sanitary inspection work, and
similar activities carried on by his
department to protect the health OF
the city could be continued.
The present situation developed
after the appropriation bill. was
passed by Congress. When the
commissioners were preparing their
estimates, there were 200 appeals
from ALLEGATIONS by the Personnel
Classification Board pending. Those
granted were announced in May
about two months after the ap
preparation bill was passed.