Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
Member Of the Associated Press.
How We Spend Our Money.

How We Spend Our Money.
Auditor Donovan's table showing how
the District spends its money is inter-
esting In several respects, one of thcm
being the consistent growth in the pro-
portion of municipal expenditures de-
voted to schools and highways in the
last i've years.
The contention Of the school authori-
ties has been that one-third Of the total
budget Is not too much to spend on
schools. While Mr.. Donovan does not
conceive of this total as including water
revenues and special funds-as the
school authorities have done with
some justification-he shows that, in
GLIDING the gasoline tax fund as q part
Of the total considered, the amount
spent on schools in the last i've years
has risen from 31.9 per cent in 1925
to 34.2 in 1929, or an average expendi-
ture over the last five years Of 33.3-
exactly one-third. In the same period
the expenditure for highways has in
creased from 11.2 in 1925 to 14.1 in
1929, or an average for the i've years
considered Of 1874. The large increase
In proportionate highway expenditure
is, Of course, due to the gasoline tax
fund.
The figures become more interesting,
however. when compared with the
Census Bureaus similar classification
Of expenditures by functions for the
cities Of the United States Of more
than thirty thousand inhabitants.
The latest figures are for 1927, two
years behind the District auditors
figures. But washington's average
percentage distribution for the last i've
years, compared with the 1927 census
figures, indicates ut least general
trend.
washington's $40 per cent for edu-
cation. therefore, Is found to compare
with the cities ss.3 for education in
1927, including as educational expendi-
lures in both cases the money spent
on libraries. For the library item alone
washington's average is eight-tenths Of
! per cent while the cities is ID
wasi1ingtcn's highway expenditures,
on the other hand. average ia for the
last five years, while the expenditure
for this item by the cities in 1927 is ss.
Further interesting comparisons lie
IN the percentage Of funds devoted to
recreation in Washington and In the
Census Bureau list of cities. The per-
centage in washington over the last
five years is ga. that for the cities in
1927, "a. Under the heading Of recrea-
ton are grouped expenditures for parks
and Fairgrounds. ~
washington's five-year average for
protection Of life and property is 1877.
The proportionate expenditure is shown
to have been declining steadily since
1925. when it was II per cent. to 1929,
when it was 15.5. The five-year aver
age compares with figure Of 20 per
cent spent by the cities for police and
fire protection in 1927.
The Capitals five-year average for
health and sanitation is slightly below
the expenditure by cities shown by the
Census Bureau. For public welfare,
which includes charities and correc-
tons, Washington's average is 11.9,
while for the cities as o whole 1t Is
shown to be 81.
These comparisons point to the fact
that in devoting one-third Of Its gen.
eral government expenditures % schools,
Washington has nothing to boast about
in laying its figures alongside similar
expenditures by the cities Of the coun-
try. While parks and Fairgrounds
should, Of course, be considered the nat
ural embellishments Of the Capital City.
Washington as q municipality is
spending q disproportionately large
amount on these features, IS compared
to expenditures by the cities as whole.
And though 1t Is desirable that the Cap
ital have fine highways, the parents Of
the city would rather see Washington
excel in Its expenditures for education
than for its expenditures on streets.
We are devoting a proportionately
small amount to public safety. This
would on Its face justify the plea Of the
heads Of the Fire and Police Depart
ments for increased salaries, as well as
for more men. AS far as personnel is
concerned, the firemen are working
twelve hours day in an age that has
universally accepted the eight-hour day
as standard. The police are numeri-
cally inadequate properly TO patrol the
city, and increased duties are being
prepared for them against the time that
they will all become prohibition agents
washington's annual income is being
stretched to the limit now, with addi-
tional needs demanding attention
These additional needs should properly
be financed by increasing the Federal
lump sum to a proportion that bears
some logical resemblance to the 40 pei
cent promised by . law that has never
been repealed. .n
Questions Of precedence assert them
q M