Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19
BUDGET ESTIMATES
TO Be GIVEN C|TY'S
FOUR CIVIC GROUPS
Detailed Copies Are Prepared
for Distribution at Direction
of Commissioners.
preliminary WORK
TO START TOMORROW
District Heads Plan to Begin Task
Without Waiting for Reports
From Organizations.

Complete copies of the detailed bud
getry estimates of the department heads
of the District government for the 1881
fiscal year were prepared yesterday at
the direction of the Commissioners
for distribution to the Citizens Ad-
visory Council and Washington's three
trade organizations-the Board Of
Trade. the Chamber of Commerce and
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association. ,
In accordance with a custom adopted
consider the financial requests OF the
various municipal departments and
make recommendations to the Com
missionerS as to what items should
be allowed or eliminated and the tax
rate that should prevail in the new
fiscal year. These recommendations
are taken under advisement by the
Commissioners in the preparation OF
the budget.
Does Not Set Precedent.
Tire organization will be sent detailed
copies of the estimates in lieu OF abbre-
waited reports, with a view to present.
ing them with a more complete picture
Of the needs of the District. The pro-
cedure does not mark precedent, now
ever. as two years ago, the voluminous
documents containing the appropria-
ton requests of the departments IN de-
tail, with the explanations Of justtf1ca-
ton, were distributed to the four
groups. Last year only the skeletonizeo
estimates were distributed.
without waiting for reports from the
council and the three trade bodies, the
Commissioners have planned to begin
work tomorrow on the preliminary bud
get. The first steps will be to deter
mine the total of funds to be allowed,
The process of trimming the estimates
of the department heads then will fol-
low.
1t is practically certain that the Com
missioners will keep the budget within
$48, SOC, 900, the limitation recommended
by Maj. Daniel ]. Donovan, auditor and
budget officer This will mean that more
than s45o0, 900 will have to be cut from
the figures of the various departments.
Council May Urge More.
The advisory council, however. it was
indicated yesterday, probably will recon-
mend a budget of $50 ,000, 900 or $751;
OOO, 600 DR.. George c. Havenner, chair
man of the council, said that In 1n-s
formal conferences the opinion has been
expressed that the District can stand q
budget Of that size In the 1881 nscaI
year without raising the existing $l.70
tax rate. The council already Is on rec
ord fayoring q continuance of the 81. 10
levy in 1881, and an increase In the
Federal Governments annual $4,000, 600
lump-sum contribution toward munich
pal expenses. A..
Commissioners, in preparing the new
budget. will give further thought to the
tax rate in 1881. They alre ady nave
let 1t become known that they intend
to predicate the budget on continu-
ance of the existing levy, and MAJ.
Donovan has told them that the $l.70
will raise SUFFICIENT revenue TO support
a $48, 500 900 budget, providing the sur
plus to the credit Of the District in the
United States Treasury is dipped into
generously.
Agree on Tax Rate.
While the council has given some in
dication of the budget 1t will recon-
mend. none of the other organizations
yet has discussed the subject, and viii
not do so until the copies OF the de-
partmental estimates are received from
the District Building. 1t Is generally
accepted, however, that all Of them are
agreed on one detail-that the tax rate
should not be increased.
Dorsey w. Hyde. secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce, said yesterday
that as soon as the official copy of the
estimates arrive, it will be turned over
to the committee on District finance,
taxation and assessment, for study. Ru-
dolph Jose is chairman of this group.
Hyde pointed out that it was this COM
mittee which last year urged the Com
missioners to prepare five-year finan-
cial program similar to the one recently
drawn up by Auditor Donovan.
The Board Of Trade and the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Association
also plan to turn the estimates over to
committees for consideration.