Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-05
The Districts Budget.

The District budget for the nScai
year 1880, transmitted to Congress to-
day, represents the work Of capable
cutters and trimmers who have drafted
it to suit the vicissitudes of a short sss-
sion of Congress and have purposely
declined to look much beyond the ends
of their noses into the future needs OF
the Capital. In the main, its items are
confined to those necessary estimates
for appropriations required to maintain
the local government for another year.
1t does not attempt to take up any OF
the programs for growth and expan-
sion of some of the city's vital agencies
which have fallen behind the march Of
progress. To have done so in this short
session would have been useless.
The budget does provide, however,
Cor keeping open few additional
school Fairgrounds during the Summer
months, for a site and building for a
fire station, for fifteen new privates in
the Police Department for starting
work on the proposed new Business
High School, additions to the Lovejoy
School, additions to the John Eaton
School, an athletic field and stadium
for the Dunbar School, beginning cca-
struction on the Reno Junior High
School and the Kingsman Junior High
School, and purchase of sites for two
new schools and more playground space.
There are, in addition, items for the
establishment Of another child hygiene
center, new buildings for the District
Training School, near Laurel, Md, and
extensions Of wards at the Home for
the Aged and Inf1rm. Every one will
be delighted to learn that another
guard has been recommended for the
Zoo.
The estimates for appropriations for
the next fiscal year are nearly million
Dollars below the appropriations for the
current fiscal year. The cut is largely
accounted for in the reduced appro-
priations for street repair work, as the
present program for street widening
and bridge reflooring has been COM
pleted, and in the reduction of more
than six hundred thousand dollars for
the purchase of sites and school con-
btruction.
The budget figures are interesting, in
that they confirm the belief or fear
depending upon the point Of view-that
the day of the $4o,oo0,ooo budget for
the District has arrived to stay: to stay,
at least, until it goes beyond that figure.
The budget estimates today for appro-
priations to total $39,s35,622 may be
compared to the appropriations Of not
quite thirty millions only five years
ago And the budget submitted to Con-
Rress today is in no sense forward
looking appraisal of the actual needs
of the District, but represents what
almost amounts to an estimate Of a
continuing appropriation, 50 routine are
It's provisions.
The budget is based upon the Com
tnissioners' determination to retain the
present tax rate, which produces reve-
nue. commensurate with the city's abil-
ity to pay, together with the Budget
Bureaus anticipation of the inadequate
lump-sum appropriation of the last few
years. AS an example of skill in trim
ming needs to fit fat pocketbook, the
budget is to be commended. AS an
example of whaS the District needs in
the way of expansions and improve
knents, the budget, of course, falls short
bf the mark by many millions Of dollars.