Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-31
D. c. HEADS DEFEND
BUILDING PROGRAM
Commissioners Write to Sem
ate Committee, Reviewing
Their Activities.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

SiiIse larger appropriations and to hasten
the completion of the building program.
AT the time the five-year building
program act was passed the total es-
tinated cost of its completion was
figured at $20,185,000. The school au-
thorities claim to have submitted to the
Commissioners during the five-year
period, beginning With the fiscal year
1926, through the fiscal year 1880 es-
Inmates of appropriations for school
building construction and the purchase
of land totaling see, 429 230. Included
in this sum. however. are repeated items
amounting to S9,106,810, so that the ac-
tual amount of the estimates submitted
to the Commissioners by the school
authorities on the basis of each item
being included but once, would be $17,-
322, 400.
THE appropriations made by Con-
greSs during the period mentioned
totaled STATS, $50, a sum $2,847, ITO
less than the true total of appropria-
lions recommended by the Board of
Education. The 1881 budget now before
Congress carries a total for public
schools of S13,028,81o, which includes
5000 7E0 for the erection of buildings
and the purchase of land. With An
appropriSt ton of this latter sum made
for 1881, the total then appropriated
for the f1ve-year building program will
amount to $17,485,95 as against the
original total estimated cost of $20,-
$4,000, leaving still to be appropriated
on that basis $2,699,050.
1T would appear, according to a
statement prepared by the school au-
thorities. that certain items in the five
year-program amounting to $4,000
are to be abandoned and other items
amounting to S545 900 cover projects to
be modified; and that other building
items which involve no changes will
require appropriations yet to be made
of an approximate total Of $2,720 900,
with an additional $203,000 for sites
and Fairgrounds"
Answer zone Third" Argument.
The Commissioners next take up a
statement by the president of the school
board to the effect that the schools
have undertaken to ascertain the pro-
portion of the total District budget
which should be allowed for schools,
considering the practice in comparable
cities, and that on the basis of informa
ton obtained from the United States
Bureau of Education it appeared that
something more than one-third of the
budget for the District was not too
much to ask for schools.
The Commissioners tell Senator Cap
per they do not subscribe to the view
that there is any basic justification for
alIocating one-third of the general rev.
enues for school use, because they be-
lieve the needs of the school as they
arise from year to year could be con-
sidered accordingly and that the
schools should be allowed as much as
possible with due respect to the needs
of other branches of the municipal gov
eminent.
ut so happens as a matter of fact"
legitimate business, or to promote or
ing the five-year period under discus
sion here, the schools have received
in appropriations a full one-third of
all the general revenues Of the District
of Columbia collected during that
period. including the annual payment
of 100000 by the United States. For
the fve-year period the total amount |
appropriated by Congress from the gen. i
eral revenue fund of the District of |
Columbia amounted to $167 ,647,e15. OF !
this sum the amount appropriated for |
public schools was $50, 126, 1853, or 352 |
per cent of the total. During the four |
year period between 1925 and 1929, in |
elusive Cthe fiscal year 1890 is not in |
cluded, as the revenues for that year |
are at this time on a purely estimated |
basis, the total general revenues of the !
District Of Columbia, including the an |
nual contribution of 100000 made |
by the United States, amounted to |
$140,752,183; and, adding to that sum |
the surplus created by the act of Feb |
ruary 2, 1925-namely, $5,257,52875-l
made total of general revenues avail |
able for the four years of STAG, zoos, I'll. |
From this amount 1t was necessary, in |
pursuance of law, to transfer to the |
policemen and firemen'S pension fund
S1,763,028, and further deduction of
100000 had to be made because Of
-
Grating fund in accordance with the
provisions Of the act of June 20, 1922
The actual general revenues of the
District OF Columbia with contribu-
ton Of the United States included)
available for appropriation, therefore
amounted to $141 ,246,683. The appro-
priations for the public schools for this
1our-year period totaled $47,142,253, or
1887 per cent of the maximum sum
that might have been appropriated by
congress out OF the general appropria-
ton fund of the District of Columbia,
Two SURPRISES Admitted.
Reference is made by the president
of the Board of Education in his let
ter of october %, 1929, to the surplus
revenues Of the District of Columbia.
1t is true that there have been two &C.
foundations of surplus revenues in re-
amounted to $5,257,5 2875 and the Dis
tricts right to this money was recog-
nized by an act of Congress approved
February 2, 1925. OF this particular
surplus Congress appropriated $4,656,-
500 for the erection of buildings and
the acquisition of land under the five
year school building program.
The second surplus was accumulated
within the last year or two. At the
close of the fiscal year 1928 the Dis
trict had to its credit in the United
states Treasury, over and above obi
cations, the sum of $6,126 soc. 80, but
from this had to be deducted the cash
fund to which reference has been made
OF at least $4,000, 900, leaving available
Tor appropriation by Congress $3,l26,-
6O0.32. At the close of the fiscal year
1929, after deducting the amount of
the cash fund. the surplus had grown
TO 1858, 66475.
If the budget estimates submitted
Tor the District by the Budget Bureau
should be approved by Congress, there
would remain at the close Of the fiscal
year 1891 estimated surplus revenues
over and above the amount of the cash
1und OF approximately 81 500 OO0"