Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-16
PROPOSES ANNUAL
PUBLIC HEARING ON
DISTRICT BUDGETS
Finance Committee Chairman
Makes Suggestion in
Radio Address.
| WANTS EXPERTS TO FIX
| DIVISION OF REVENUES
Believes Federal Government
shonld Increase Amounts for
Local Expenses.

proposal that the District Com
missioners. each year hold an official
public hearing on budget estimates for
the operation of the local government
at which the city heads should present
the financial program for the forthcon1-
ing fscal year on which they had
agreed. was made last night by Rudolph
Washington Chamber of Commerce on
District finance.
The suggestion was made by the vice
president of the chamber in an ad-
dress over station WNMAL in which he
detailed the recent action of the trade
body taken on budgetry estimates now
being formulated and the proposal for
appointment of o commission Of experts
70 determine what Is the equitable share
Of the cost Of the National Capital
which the Federal Government should
bear.
While declaring that the chamber
Is committed In favor of a larger
contribution from the Federal Govern
nnent toward District expenses, Mr..
Jose asserted that the only way the
uncertainty as to just what portion
the National Government does pay can
be solved in appointment of q COM
mission of qualifed tax and appraisal
experts to formulate a plan for divid-
ing the costs, after first obtaining all
the facts.
Jose's Statement.
Regarding the question of the prep
aration of the budget estimates, the
chamber oficial said:
Under the present plan District
taxpayers who desire to inform them
selves regarding needed expenditure In
crease must duplicate the investigation
or departmental requests already made
or being made by the Commissioners.
Thus we have a half dozen or more
separate agencies, both public and pri-
vate. all covering the same ground
In the belief of the Chamber, this
situation would be relieved and better
results would be secured If ARRANGEMENTS
were made each year for an oficial
public hearing on the District budget
estimates. At. this public hearing. fae
District Commissioners should present
70 District taxpayers and taxpayers'
associations the financial program or
budget upon which they have agreed
for the next fiscal year
Prior to such . public hearing q
summary Of all appropriation requests.
classified by function and showing ur,-
der each function the major items of
expenditure, should be made available
in printed form to interested individuals
and organizations. This annual appro-
priation summary would be based upon
the ffve-year financial program, which
should be extended each year, and
would be corrected formulation of
the previously proposed program for
the year IN question with more exact
anpliflcation of income and expend-
iture details
Federal Share.
Discussing the chambers stand for a
more equitable contribution by the Fed
eral Government, Mr.. Jose emphasized
the feet that substantive law for the
District calls for 40 per cent Federal
contribution. I'm fact, however, we Sc
cure only about half that amount.
There are at least three different opin-
ions as to the exact percentage paid BY
the Federal Government, due to lack of
facts and clear understanding Of issues
involved
THE only way TO solve this tansle is
to appoint properly qualified inVesti-
eating committee to get the facts, and
then, with the aid of tax and appraisal
experts, to formulate proper plan for
dividing the cost between the Federal
and District governments.
The chamber believes that District
taxpayers should bear a tax burden In
proportion to their capacity to paw, and
fair when compared with the actual
burden on taxpayers In comparable
cities"
with reference to the 1881 estimates
now being prepared. Mr. Jose said that
the chamber Is strongly opposed to the
building up Of needlessly large surplus
in the Treasury and that the chamber
had proposed q total budget. for the
year of $51 ,000, 900. contendins that
with cash In the surplus fund this was
less than available revenues for the
year. conservatively estimated.
He commended the formulation of a
tentative five-year program but pointed
out what was deemed several weaknesses
in the plar1.- suggesting changes In
method and provision for an airport
and several other proposed new develop
ments, an arrnory and $3,00o,00 for
schools and grounds