Evening star., 1925-10-22
SEEK TO ELIMINATE
BUDGET ESTIMATES
Advisory Council Members
Discuss the Question
Informally

IL Congress continues the policy Of
appropriatng q lump sum of $4,000.
600 toward the annual upkeep Of the
District the Citizens Advisory Coun
ell may seek to have the Commission
ers relieved of the necessity Of sub
nltting their estimates TO the Fedora
Budget Bureau.
This was indicated by several
speaker when the council met last
night IN the Office Of Engineer Con.
missioner Bell to begin work on -
legislative program for consideration
at the coming session OF Congress. A.
the same time, however, the council
is on record as urging Congress 10
have a thorough inquiry made TO de
termIne exactly what would be an
equitable division of tho cost OF main
tanning the Capital City between the
Federal and District governments. IL
recommending such an inquiry several
months ago the council also made a
plea that Congress restore the 500
ratio OF appropriating for the District
until the proposed inquiry could be
completed and d permanent fiscal plaI
adopted.
There was no action taken last
night looking TO a change in the
method OF handling the budget but
several members enga ged in an in
formal discussion which indicated thai
they do not believe Congress should
continue to Keep local expenditures
under the Budget Bureau If the lump
sum Is retained.
Jesse {. Suter. chairman OF the
council. advocated removing the veil
Of secrecy from the annual estimates
After discussing in general terms a
dozen or more pending pieces Of Dis
trICt legislation, the council voted TO
authorize MI. Suter TO distribute the
bills among the Individual members
for investigation and report later.
Engineer Commissioner Bell attend
ed the meeting OF the council. and.
when asked by members which bills
he regarded as most urgent, he mer.
toned three measures for the opening
Of important thoroughfares which can
not be condemned under existing Law.
and the bill to reorsanlze the person
mel Of the Public Utilities Commission
Importance of Bills.
Col. Bell told the councilmen NJ
wanted to correct an impression which
had gone forth that the council had
no freedom of action and could only
pass upon those bills submitted 70 I
by the Commissioners. What the Com
missioners want, he said, is an expires
sion from the council as 10 the relative
importance Of all the bills under con
sideration.
The whole purpose Of the inquiry
now being undertaken by the council
is to single out the most important
bills. and in cooperation with the
Commissioners. ask the two branches
of Congress to- give those bills first
consideration.
Melvin c. Hazen. District surveyor
attended the conference, accompanied
by Roland Brennan, chief clerk of the
Engineer Department. Mr.. Hazen too
the councilmen that there IS urgent
need for new legislation 10 enable
him to condemn and acquire a lonE
list Of important streets which can
never be opened under existing ID"
AS the law stands, Mr.. Hazen said.
the Commissioners can proceed 70 con.
denim a street if benefits can be
assessed equal 10 the damages. Theirs
are many cases, however where no
jury could find benefits as great as
the damages. 1t IS TO meet such cases
that a new Law is needed. which
would carry with it an appropriation
To cover the difference between the
damages and the benefits.
Mr.. Hazen also explained the De
STABILITY of having the bill passed
10 open Fourteenth street through
Walter Reed grounds and at the same
time close certain other streets and
alleys within the area owned by the
hospital.
The surveyor listed as another in
portant street project the opening OF
a new street east and west from
Georgia avenue 10 Ninth street be
tween Florida avenue and Barry place
A separate bill is needed for this, he
said, because it involved changing the
street car tracks.
Before the council meets again al
Of the pending bills will be thorough.y
studied by individual members. so that
the council can list them in the order
of their Importance.