Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-26
Member of the Associated Press
It Can Be Done,

The Commissioners will not have to
submit their 1882 estimates, upon which
ehey begin their serious work today,
until July is. In the meantime Con-
gress will have disposed of the 1881 bill
and settled the policy. for the time be-
ing, Of the amount of Federal contribu-
tion. That question is in the hands of
the conferees now and the outcome re-
mains matter of conjecture.
without anticipating the action of
Che conferees, however, the Commission
srs would do well to establish now their
policy concerning the amount of the
next budget. For several years past the
policy has been to compute the revenue
availability for the next fiscal year on
the basis Of the existing lump sum and
tax rate. The budget figures have been
kept within that total But this year
there Is talk at the District Building
Of the necessity for higher tax rate in
1882, provided, of course. that Congress
does not increase the Federal contribu-
ton. The assumption is that to~main-
tain the District and to allow for a
normal amount OF improvement In 1882
the necessary funds will exceed the
amount to be produced by the current
tax rate and the 100000 lump sum-
That may be perfectly true. But in
framing their 1882 budget the Com
rnissioners should stick to the former
policy of combining their needs to the
revenue that viii be produced by the
current tax rate, plus whatever sum
Congress allots for the 1891 budget. If
the needs Of the District exceed that
sum, the needs should be curtailed. The
tax rate should not be increased to en-
compass them. There Is no more logic
IN anticipating q raise In the tax rate
70 meet expenses than there is In antici-
pating an increase in the Federal con-
tribution. Neither the Commissioners
nor the Budget Bureau has ever done
the latter.
The actual setting of the tax rate, of
course, does not accompany the sub
mission Of the budget. The size Of the
tax rate is based on the appropriations,
not the budget. The tax rate is fixed
ct the beginning Of the fiscal year, and
the tax rate for the 1892 appropriations
win not be fixed until some time in June,
1891. Rut the duty Of the Commission
ers As clear. Their own budget should
contemplate no increased taxes, and If
there are increases In the budget that
win demand more revenue the Commits
stoners should leave the business Of in
serting them to Congress-
The revenues Of the District, under
the present fiscal arrangement, merely
cover the expense Of maintaining the
city. Auditor Donovan Ies shown that
for the fiscal year 1881 maintenance
and operation expenses amount to $780,
100000. Improvements, including the
100000 Municipal Center item as
carried in the House bill, amount to
e12.0s6,000. Take out the Municipal
Center item-paid for by the District
surpius-and there is left IS, os6,o 900. So
the Federal Government contribution Of
100000 Just about takes care Of the
normal annual improvements.
OF course, District dollars and Fed
- ~ NN@o1o a. 44OS CcA4 11ldIAS0 4OI Use,
and 1t could as easily be said that the
Federal Government allows $4,000, 900
for maintenance and the District makes
up the balance Of the maintenance
charge and finances the improvements.
But the place to cut the 1882 budget
now being framed. II Congress fails to
increase the Federal sum, is in improve
ments, beginning with the elimination
Of any money for continuing work on
the Municipal Center and the Zoos
building program.
District taxes are high enough. If
they fail TO produce the balance be-
tween the lump sum and the cost of
normal Improvements, the latter should
be curtailed and the responsibility
placed squarely where 1t belongs-on
the tnadequacy OF the lump sum.