The Washington times., 1929-01-21
D. c. HEADS
PUT ON
PAN

Criticism Of the District
Commissioners for failing to
battle to a finish with the
Budget Bureau for the ex-
penditure of the District sur
plus in the Treasury, was
made by Representative Robert
G. Simmons, chairman of the
District subcommittee. of the
House Appropriations Commit
tee, during hearings on the
District appropriation bill, ac-
cording to the record of hear
ings, made public today.
simmons took each of the Com.
nissioners to task for not reaching
an agreement with the Budget Blu
reau on expanding the surplus, be-
force the final estimates were sent
to Congress-.
He scored the city heads for not
giving long and deliberate cOnsidera.
ton to the fact that. under the
pTNSEHI TAX rate AIptuS VI aP
pr0xinateIy So, 900, 600 year Is being
stored up in the Treasury.
Commissioners Sidney #. Taliaferro
was the first TO face the whitening
fire of the ehairEnan.s sarca SIN. He
lodged the question OF disposition
OF the surplus by pointing out that
the Budget Bureau not only set q
ma ximum limit on the Commission
L.. !.
auctions before the estimates were
sent to the Capitol
Here over period of three
years, you have had an accumula-
ton Of Sc, 900 900 unexpended. Sim
mons told Taliaferro, and at the
same time criticism has come from.
official sources in the District Build
ing and outside, directed at Congress.
to the effect that money was not
available under the present tax rate
and the present contribution OF the
Federal Government to make needed
improvements In the District.
"Aa / understand the situation,
he commented. eafter the Bureau
OF the Budget refused to approve
certain of the items presented to
them. the Commissioners sat back
and did nothing further in the way
Of consideration Of any items that
could be included in this bill as sub
nitted to Congress, to take care of
the surplus.
AZ result OF these remarks and
few more of the same tenor.
Taliaferro submitted additional esti-
mates, totaling $6,609. 700.
A little later, Simmons trapped
Engineer Commissioner Ladue into
stating that among the prime needs
OF the District were bridge construc-
ton, elimination OF grade crossings.
q neg refuse disposal station, the
municipal center, and q few other
projects. several of which, like the
refuse disposal plant, s'haye no sub.
stantive authorization in law
Heard Of 1t In September
In answer to a barrage Of ques.
tions by the chairman. Colonel
Ladue was compelled to admit that
he had not even requested the Blu.
reau Of the Budget for money to
spend on new bridges or grade
crossings.
SO the responsibility for this
bill not carrying any items for
bridges or grade crossings" said
Simmons. rests in the hands of
the Commissioners. and nowhere
else p"
YES. sir" Ladue responded. IT
have not attempted to shift 1t any.
where else
Commissioner Dougherty said he
thought some school items were
the Districts most pressing need.
AZ to the District surplus, he said:
We have not had any formal
discussion In reverence to that. We
have only realized recently that
We Were getting that surplus over
and above the amount OF the bal.
ance We were supposed to carry,'s
He referred here to the cash -.
serve which the District must carry
In the Treasury.
In answer to Simmons line Of
questioning, Dougherty said he
learned OF the Districts Sc. 900 600
surplus last September. and that
the Commissioners have discussed
the subject without arriving at
any decision"
Dougherty said he and his col.
leagues have been considering the
problem" Of spending the surplus.
Simmons was questioning Dough.
erty closely as to the reasons WHY
the Commissioners failed to submit
additional estimates of the Budget
Bureau, when Major Daniel ].
Donovan, District budget officer.
came into the discussion with an
explanation.
Donovan told simmons that the
Budget Bureau did not return the
final estimates to the Commission.
ers until the middle of November.
The Government Printing Office
was waiting for the District figures
to complete the national budget,
and there was a question as to
how much time would be available
for the Commissioners TO study and
submit additional estimates.