Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07
BUYING OF SCHOOL
| SITES IS DELAYED
Mccarl's Opinion Blocks I'M
mediate Purchase at Prob
able Saving.

Efforts Of the District Commissioners
to erect . possible saving in the pur-
chase OF public school playground and
building sites were blocked yesterday by
Controller General J. r. McCarl.
The Commissioners had sought
authorization from McCari to make
available immediately an appropriation
of $4,000 contained In the appropria-
ton act for the fiscal year beginning
July for the purchase Of school sites,
pointing out that the acquisition of
certain property In advance Of that date
probably would result In q substantial
saving to the District. The controller
geNIral ruled, however, that the use OF
any portion Of the appropriation before
July would be contrary 10 established
rules.
Opinion Causes Surprise.
McCarl's opinion was received at the
District Building with some surprise, IN
view of the precedent he established In
1928 by permitting the Commissioners
to use before the beginning Of new
fiscal year an appropriation contained
in the appropriation act for that year
for the purchase Of site for the Mount
Pleasant branch of the Public Library.
The $4,000 appropriation was pro-
vided for the acquisition OF sites Tor the
new l6-room building In the vicinity
of Connecticut avenue and Upton street,
a new Junior high school, new platoon
school and a colored health school and
sanitarium in Northeast Washington, as
well as land for playground purposes
in the vicinity of the Banneker and
Stevens Schools. AS the result of Nc
Carl's ruling, none of these sites can
be purchased before July /.
Immediate use of q portion of the
$4,000 appropriated was needed, ac-
cording to the District officials, to sup
element current funds before the be-
ginning Of the new fiscal year to COM
plete negotiations now under way for
the acquisition Of certain sites. These
sites can be purchased Immediately, 1t
was pointed out, and 1t has been found
that when q property owner agrees to
sell to the District he VIII give better
price than If he has to walt NUMBER
of months to obtain settlement.
One site in particular, II acquired
at this time, McCarl was told, would re-
suit in a substantial saving In cost over
the price than II acquired at o later
date. The location of the property was
not disclosed, however.
Donovan Gives Views.
Daniel J, Donovan, District auditor
and budget oficer, also informed the
Controller general that although the
language In the text of the eppropria-
ton for the $4,000 does not include
a provision making it Immediately
available, he believed such treatment
of the appropriation would be proper
and authorized by the decision OF 1928
when the use of an appropriation not
immediately available was allowed Tor
acquisition of the branch library site.
McCarl replied, however, that the
established rule applicable to appropria-
tions made In annual appropriation actS
for purchase of real estate in general
is that unless otherwise specifically
provided for In the act making the APP
preparations, such appropriations have
been considered as available for the In.
curing of obligations during the nscai
wear covered by the act only.
There have been exceptions to this
general rule, the controller general SAID,
in cases in which the appropriation
contained provisions which clearly indi-
Gated the, funds appropriated we're IN
tended to be available without refer
ence to the fiscal year limitation, and
the library case was one OF them.
In the case Of the $4,000 school site
appropriation, McCarl declared, no pro-
vision was made for its immediate avail
ability or its availability until expended,
and it must be considered as an APP
preparation made for the fiscal year. be-
ginning July next. Accordingly, you
are advised" he wrote the commission
ers, that the setting up Of the said ap-
preparation as q no year appropriation
Immediately available Is not author
lied"
Aside from precluding possible saw
ing to the District, the decision also
viii delay somewhat the negotiations
for the purchase of certain Of the school
sites being carried on by Mai. Layson z.
Atkins, Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner. Atkins, however, win complete
his negotiations as far as possible and
if he closes contracts for the acquisi-
ton of the property desired, the owners
will be required to wait for payment
until July or later.