Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-14
Hold $1,000, 900 Must Be
Reduced From District Costs
to Avoid Tax Increase.
PRIMARY CUT MAY FALL
ON MUNICIPAL CENTER
All Agree Police, Health and
School Appropriations Should
Not Be Touched.

Members of Washington's business
and civic organizations. called into
consultation with the District Com
missioners today to discuss the 1888
budget, seemed agreed that in spite of
hardships that might be entailed the
budget should be trimmed about Sill.
100000 from the estimates submitted
by the department heads SO as 10
enable the District to operate without
increasing taxes.
Most of them felt that the cut
should fall primarily on work for the
Municipal Center and several felt that
the requests for appropriations for
parks and streets might also be re-
duced. Three was a general agreement
that there should be no cuts In the
appropriations for the Police and
Health Departments and for the public
school system.
Want No Tax Raise.
The Commissioners had called the
civil leaders in to place before them
the extremely serious fiscal situation
presented by falling tax receipts, as
cribed 70 general economic depression
and the depletion of the city,s large
cash surplus by heavy appropriations
for the fiscal years 1890, 1891 and 1882.
The situation was outlined briefly by
DR.. Luther II. Reichelderfer, president
OF the board, and in greater detail hy
Auditor Daniel J. Donovan.
Joshua Evans, jr., representing the
Board Of Trade said that the board de-
sired no increase in taxes; that where
cuts are made they should fall on items
having the tinge Of luxury" He said
that the board was not impressed with
the necessity for maintaining a cash
surplus and thought the city should
spend each year the money available
from tax receipts.
Robert J. CottreIl, also of the Board
OF Trade, suggested that the cuts should
come out Of appropriations for the
Municipal Center, parks and ma jor
streets rather than those for the Police
and Health Departments and the public
school system.
Holds Cash Policy Unwlse.
DR.. George c. Hayenner, chairman
OF the Citizens Advisory Council,
pointed out that although the Commits
sioners are compelled by law to keen
cash surplus for working capitaI in
the Federal Treasury, the law does not
prescribe the size Of the fund, and the
Commissioners decision to, keep So
goo. on hand was unwise In order
to keep the fund up to this mark, Mai.
Donovan had previously explained that
1t would be necessary to add about ST.
100000 to 1t in the 1892 fiscal year, as
1t probably win have been depleted to
that extent by the close of 1882.
Or Havenner urged appropriations In
1888, Of $4,000, 900 for schools; 81 ZOO
600, for street lighting: 81 ,500,000 each
lor water and sewers; So, 500, 900 for high
ways and $500, 900 for libraries. He sug-
gested that the Municipal Center work
be delayed until the Federal Govern
ment pays the District the value of the
District Building from which the city
government Is to be ousted as a result
Of Federal building activities. The
amount sent down in the 1888 estimates
for the Municipal Center work Is
| s., 00o, COO.
Harry King Of the Chamber Of Com
merce took issue with Mr.. Evans and
held that it was absolutely necessary
to keep a SUFFICIENT cash surplus on
| hand. Otherwise, in the event OF
SuicIBcHClcS, the city WOULD De competed
to issue warrants against future coll
lections. a system which piles up a
| large floating debt and has resulted in
economic disaster to many municipal
| tiles.
Lansburgh Pledges Support.
He asked the Commissioners to call
the chambers representatives back later
after they have had an opportunity for
further study Of the projected. 1888
budget.
E. @. Bliss, also Of the Chamber of
Commerce, suggested that the Com
| missioners make the cuts by delaying
capital expenses and by cutting out
trimmings wherever possible without
reducing either personnel or the salaries
paid to the personnel.
Mark Lansburgh president of the
Merchants and Manufacturers Associa-
ton, said that his group is on record
as opposed to any increase in the tax
rate and that 1t would support the eff
forts Of the Commissioners to found q
1888 budget on the existing rates.
After the meeting the Commissioners
Continued on Page 2, Column g.