Evening star., 1933-08-02
Immediate Lay-off Will Be
Necessary, Donovan Tells
Senator King.
LEGISLATOR TO URGE
USE OF D. C. SURPLUS
Employment for ZIG Men in Dis
trict Service From Two Ac-
counts Would Result.

immediate lay-O1 OF 25O per diem
employees Of the District government
will be necessary unless the Budget
Bureau releases for expenditure the
surplus gasoline tax money asked fol
by the Commissioners, 1t was made
known today in a memorandum pre-
pared by District Auditor Donovan al
the request of Chairman King of the
Senate District Committee.
Senator King plans to go to the
Budget Bureau within a few days tc
urge immediate use of both the gas ta3
and water fund surpluSes and he asked
District officials for this report as q
preliminary step. Under the terms Of
the 1884 District appropriation act, the
budget director is given the power to
make available sl,5oO.ooO of the gas taz
money and $685. 900 of the water fund
surplus. The Commissioners have asked
for all of the gas tax money referred
to In the appropriation act and fol
s502, 900 of the water fund total.
Work for 716 Men.
It had previously been announced
that the granting OF the water 1uno
money would put back to work 466
men already laid of since July l. The
statement that the gas tax money
would save the jobs of $50 other per
diem workers means that favorable
action by the budget director would
result in work for TIC men in the
District service, besides the indirect
employment that would be stimulated
by carrying on these construction
projects at this time.
The report submitted to Senator
King presented strong case in sup
port of the expenditure of these funds
pointing out that even If the amounts
asked for by the Commissioners are
granted in their entirety, there would
still be unexpended balances In bott
funds at the close of the current flsca
year. In the gas tax fund, even If the
81, 500 900 is allowed, there would still
remain a balance of 1920, 900 at the
close of the year. If all Of the water
fund money asked for is made avail
able there would still remain a casf
surplus to the credit of the Water De.
partment of approximately 1856, 900, II
was shown.
Earmarked for Bridge.
The District appropriation act ear
marked $575, 900 of the gas tax money
for beginning the Calvert Street Bridge
and s45,741 of this fund for the Dis
tricts share of widening and paving
Constitution avenue between North
Capitol and Second streets. This woulo
leave approximately $4,000 remaining
out of the S1,500,000 which the budget
director has discretionary power to re-
lease. The report to Senator King
shows that the Commissioners wish te
spend this money for the following pur.
poses:
For current repairs to streets, $275,.
600; for building curbs and cutters ane
concrete shoulders on macadam roads
$4,000; for resurfacing and replacing
streets, $4,000; for paving major thor.
oughfares, s341, $3.50, and for paving
what are known as local residential
streets, $117,900.
Effect on Employment
Referring to the effect of obtaining
this money on employment, the repor
stated:
The further allowance of monies fol
expenditure for street maintenance
work, as recommended to the director
of the Budget Bureau by the Commis
sioners, is particularly acute at thi
time because unless the approval o
this expenditure is given by the director
it will necessitate the immediate drop
ping of approximately $50 per dien
employees from the pay roll. This actor
must be taken at once unless the ad
ditional amount is made available TO
expenditure"
In emphasizing that both Of thes
surplus funds represent money col
lected entirely from local residents, tn
District auditor stated in the memo
randum:
ut is desired to particularly empha
size the fact that both the fund o
$1,500,000 authorized to be expended
from the gasoline tax fund and tn
$635,000 authorized to be expended
from the water revenues are purely ans
exclusively monies of the District o
Columbia, and participated in no par
by the Federal Government in its con
tribution to the District of Columbia.
The auditor further emphasized tina
under basic legislation. both funds mus
be spent for particular purposes, thu
gas tax money on highways. which HI
says includes bridges, and water funds
only on the water supply and distribu
ton system.