Evening star., 1932-05-15
INCREASE OF LUMP SUM
ISISSUEND.C. SUPPLY BILL
House Injection of Question Through
Appropriation Measure Puts 1t Up
to Senate Subcommittee.

cific reasons for urging an increase in
the lump sum are set forth as follows:
/. That existing substantive law au-
thorizes increase of the $9,500,00 lump
sum payment up to an amount equal
to 40 per cent of the total sum car
ried by the bill if the appropriations
subcommittee and committee wish to
recommend it.
2. That the amount of the annual
lump-sum payment should be increased
in some roughly approximate relation to
the increase of the District budget. II
justice require the Nation to contribute
so much when the Districts annual
budget Is so much, the same justice
requires it to contribute more when
the District budget is doubled. The
practical suggestion Is that the amount
of the fixed payment should be read
justed If there is any notable increase
in the National Capitals annual ex-
penditure. An immediate increase of
the basic lump-sum appropriation Of
SO. 900, for example, would be in
just relation to the steadily increasing
current taxes and annual expenditures.
Increase Specifically Lump Sum.
3. The amount of annual payment
should be increased specifically in pro-
portion to National projects included
in the District appropriation bill.
Whether or not there is a general re-
adjustment of the lump-sum contribu-
tion there should be specific increases
in that sum representing in each year
the placing in the District budget of
primarily National projects which 1t is
conceded should be paid for wholly or
in part from the National Treasury,
but which by inclusion in the District
bill and under the lump-sum payment
plan as practically applied are paid
solely by the District taxpayers from
current taxes.
A separate and distinct increase Of
the basic S9,500, 900 should be made t0
prevent Congress from violating its own
statutory provisions that the Nation
shall contribute in large and definite
proportion to the appropriations fol-
certain great National or semi National
projects, as for example the apprOpria-
tion for expenditures under the juris-
diction Of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. The law
provides in respect to appropriations for
this confessedly National project that
the Nation shall pay its definite proper
tion Of total expenditure. If Congress
makes appropriations for this National
project without providing for National
participation in the cost on the sixty
forty basis, which is the existing statu-
tory ratio Of substantive law, or by
making a specific lump-sum increase Of
the basic lump-sum appropriation in
lieu of the definite proportion which
the law directs, both the letter and the
spirit of the law will be violated and
the inequity will result Of exacting en-
tirely from the local taxpayers funds
for a National project.
The annual appropriations OF more
than million dollars year, authorized
as supplemental and extraordinary ex-
penditures by the District of Columbia
Park Commission law, are directed by
the law itself to be paid from the
revenues of the District Of Columbia
and the general funds of the Treasury
in the same proportion as other eX-
penses of the District of Columbia"
The current ratio is 60-40, fixed In
the substantive law by the new organic
act of 1922, and still unrepealed. The
wholesale exceptions to the 60-40 ratio
involved in the temporary lump-pay-
ment plan of 1926 and other years
merely suspend the substantive law OF
1922 for the year during which the
CACCHbAOAo apply anu w INV ACPNoA VA
permanently amend the substantive law
Add 100000 to Basic Lump Sum.
The Park Commission law clearly
contemplates (and provides) that the
authorized annual appropriation of a
million dollars shall be made, $500, ,00O
from the District revenue and $400, ,00O
from the National Treasury. If the
District appropriations for any year
were to be made at the 60-40 ratio in
accordance with existing substantive
law. this apportionment Of the parks
expenditure would result automatically
But since, tentatively and for only the
year, lump-sum payment Is to be
substituted for the National 40 per cent
contribution, the Nations contribution
of $400,0 900, or thereabouts, ought law
fully and equitably to be added specif-
ically to the basic lump-sum payment.
The Park Commission appropriation
Is made unmiStakably as supplement
to the current maintenance and de-
velopment appropriation, with its So
100000 Of lump-sum payment in ac-
cordance with the original tentative
precedent. If the 60-40 ratio is not
applied to the whole appropriation and
If the lump-sum payment is not in
creased as suggested, 1t Is generally
recognized that every cent of the Park
Commissions million dollars per year
(or whatever part of this amount is
appropriately will come from the
District taxpayers.
Congress will not permit any tenta-
tive juggling with the ratio of National
and local community contribution to-
ward Capital development to throw
the whole burden of Park Commission
expenditure upon the local taxpayers.
The law specifically forbids this