Evening star., 1926-12-09
The Growing District.

While the District budget as 1t Is
presented to Congress for the fiscal
year 1928 Is considerably less than
the estimates submitted to the
Budget Bureau by the District Com
missioners, 1t stands as an increase
Of approximately 100000 over the
appropriations for the current year.
The sum called for, $3S,519,S59, is
about twelve millions less than the
original estimates submitted by the
department heads to the Commits
sioners and slightly under $500, 900
less than the budget as sent by the
Commissioners to the bureau. In
these curtailments all of the branches
OF the District government have suf-
fered. The pruning process has at
fected the schools. the streets and all
the executive divisions of the munich
pal government. Still at the figure
submitted advances are effected in
practically all Of the allotments over
current appropriations.
That the District government is
rapidly growing is evidenced by these
annual differences between initial
and final estimates. Every depart
ment Of the municipal organization
is expanding and every one needs
more than is finally allotted. Never,
in fact, has the allowance Of funds
been sufficient for the actual require
ments. Arrears accumulated during
a long period Of comparative neglect
and economy and much Of the pres
ent increase Is in the way Of caring
for those arrears. Meanwhile the
District is growing in population and
in equipment. If 1t were possible
at one move to catch up with all of
the necessities accumulated during
the period OF curtailments there
would still be necessary an annual
increase in the budget to cope with
the steady growth.
Under the lump-sum provision
which has been adopted recently
from year to year the District will
pay approximately $30,o00,0 900 of the
amount appropriated and the Gov
eminent 100000, which works out
to a ratio Of less than one-to.three,
instead Of the one-to-one Of the or
ganic law and the two-to-three of
the amended substantive law. Under
this principle of lump-sum appropria-
tions as the budget grows the ratio
falls, so long as Congress holds
strictly to the arbitrary $s,oo0.00o OF
Mmp-sum appropriation.
That branch of the budget which
pertains to the District school sys-
tenn shows a gratifying increase, a
total Of over $13,500,000 being writ
ten in for that purpose. The direct
appropriation Is nearly one million
and a half over the current appro-
priation, while the authorization for
new constructions Is $1.195,500. as
against $S50.0O0 for the current year.
Still the provision for new construc-
tions is not sufficient. There is need
of q much further advance toward the
provision Of new quarters for the
steadily increasing school popula.
tion which. despite recent additions,
continues to be inadeQuately housed
and accommodated.
Evidence of the steady growth of
Washington not merely in numbers
but in efficiency of municipal or
ganization is afforded by these
constant advances in budgetary pro-
visions. A high scale Of efficiency
prevails in the municipal organiza-
ton. The taxpayers get full return
from their contributions in service.
It Is unfortunate that all Of the
branches Of the organization cannot
be given as much as they estimate
to be required. Were this possible
the District would be indeed blessed
with an ideal municipal service.