Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
Protect the District First.

and hearing the views Of the organiza-
tons representing washington's nom
voting citizens. the Commissioners are
about 10 send to the Budget Bureau
their annual recommendations on Dis
trict appropriations for the fiscal year
1880. The Commissioners find them
selves once more confronted with a Sit
uation they have had to face for the
last five fiscal years, Congress. aban-
doning the system provided by law for
proportionate contribution and expedi-
tiously substituting therefor the arbi-
trary lump sum of 100000. expects
the Commissioners 10 outline the city's
needs and to provide the revenue to
pay for them, plus this 100000 dole.
Theoretically. that is what the COM
missioners are now doing. Actually.
they are doing nothing Of the kind.
Actually. the Commissioners are pairing
down estimates for the city'S outstand-
ing needs, eliminating others and max
ing their hudgetary requirements come
within sum TO be raised by the preDent
tax rate of $40. plus the $4,000, 900
lump Of sugar that prosperous Nation
feels that it can bestow upon its great
Capital. The so-called budget for the
maintenance and development of the
Federal City is merely an it.mized list
of expenditures to be made from funds
that win be available. 1t anticipates
no outstanding development. 1t recog-
nizes none Of the city's new and in!
cressing needs
The Commissioners. hedged about
and tied hand and foot by budget regu-
lations and precedent. can do nothing
more than they are now doing. They
cannot forward to the Budget Bureau
estimates for q sum greater than the
city can afford with its present tax rate
OF $40. They cannot fiirt with raise
in this tax rate, for 1t already means
a tax burden that is heavy enough:
heavier. In fact, than that borne by
cities of comparable size. They cannot
anticipate raise In taxes when the
trend throughout the Federal and local
governments of the Nation is for re-
duction in taxes. And they cannot sug-
gest In their budget departure from
the SO 600. 600 lump sum. for the Budget
Bureau, unwilling and unable itself to
make even gesture toward what might
be construed as departure from exist
ing congressional practice, would not
permit it. would turn thumbs down on
any such effort.
The Board Of Trade suggests that the
Commissioners send their budget TO
Congress 90 framed that II viii call for
an increase in the 1000 900 lump sum.
This increase Is. of course, highly de-
sirable. But is this the proper. or the
wise, procedure toward obtaining it?
Judging from the present temper Of
Congress there is no other way OF
Judging Congress would merely grant
the Commissioners request for more
money and leave to the District the
task OF providing the increase through
higher taxes. There Is nothing in the
history Of congressional dealing with
washington to warrant the fond hope
or belief that Congress. ct the next
session, would increase the lump sum
because the Commissioners demon
strated that the tax rate here is high
enough.
The Commissioners must refuse even
TO contemplate the possibility Of an in
crease in taxes. This they may only do
by pairing the budget TO what the city
can afford under the present system.
After all, the maintenance and de-
velopn.ent Of Washington is a respon-
sibslity assumed and jealousy guarded
By Congress What Washington cannot
DO. Congress must DO. or shirk its SELF
imposed responsibility. There viii in
evitahIy come q time when continued
sinking will become 50 apparent that
resentment from the Nation win follow.
The Commissioners and the loyal citi-
zens Of Washington must again impress
upon Congress the irrefutable facts that
the residents Of the Capital are now
paying their fair share toward Capital
maintenance; that until the proportion
ate system Of appropriating for Wash
ington Is resumed. or a fair substitute
Is adopted. the lump-sum payments must
be increased. and, finally. that there are
real and pressing needs now that are
being neglected because Of system
that is unscientihc. unfair and wholly
inadequate.
The District budget is not the proper
instrument with which 70 point out the
faults that exist The budget must be
regarded simply for what IL ian
ltenizeo account Of necessary expendi.
lures from funds that will be available
The budget lis no lever that can be used
10 move Congress But it lis an inple-
n1ent that can. and viii be. turned b,
Congress against the District unless
there Is care In It's making.