Evening star., 1934-03-06
Prospective Condition to
Be Scrutinized Before
Budget Hearings.
CITY HEADS AND AUDITOR
ONLY ONES SUMMONED
1885 Estimates Now Before Group
Call. for Appropriations of
$35,S21,013.

tloHS IOInOrTOW preliminary 10 ltS
hearings on the 1885 budget estimates.
The Commissioners and Maj Daniel
j. Donovan, auditor and budget Off
GER, are the only witnesses called for
the initial session, which is expected
to be devoted entirely to fiscal mat
ters.
Maj. Donovan has prepared for the
committee financial statement,
which shows that on the basis of the
original estimates approved by the
Budget Bureau, the District would
have surplus Of unobligated tax rev.
enues at the close of the 1885 fiscal
year amounting to more than S.
100000 Proposed supplemental esti-
mates and the contemplated pay cut
restoration, however, would about
completely absorb this estimated sur
plus.
S35,s21.013 Provided For.
The regular 1885 estimates now be-
fore the committee call for appropria-
tions totaling S35 ,821,0l3, an amount
barely sufficient to meet actual operat-
ing and maintenance expenses. The
SAAy PlOb4OCQ SOllSlSt
Of an addition to the Browne Junior
High School. an addition to the COL
| ored women's ward at the Home for
| the Aged and Infirm at Blue Plains.
| and completion of projects authorized
in the appropriation act for the cur
rent fiscal year. These include the
new Woodrow Wilson Senior High
School in the Fort Reno subdivision,
| contagious disease ward at GAL
linger Municipal Hospital and the new
Calvert Street Bridge.
The supplemental estimates. now
before the Budget Bureau. would pro-
vide for some additional construction
as we'll as more adequate funds for
unemployment relief activities. The
original estimates allowed 81 800. 900
for emergency relief. An additional
s2,7o0,000 is sought in the supple
mental estimates. making a total of
100000 Even this amount. the
Commissioners insist, will be insuffi-
cient. Altogether, it is believed So
| 600. 900 will be needed for relief in the
| 1885 fiscal year, but the Commits
Sioners anticipate some aid in the
form Of Federal grants.
Estimate Based on $3.50 Tax.
The public schools would benefit
chiefly in another set of supplemental
estimates which the Commissioners
sent to the Budget Bureau in advance
Of the relief fund items. These esti-
mates include items for completion of
| the Anacostia Junior High School,
| additions to the Phelps, Deal and
Armstrong Schools, and purchase of
| additional land for the proposed new
Jefferson Junior High School. Other
items provide for construction of the
proposed Georgetown branch Of the
Public Library. preparation Of plans
for the proposed new Chain Bridge
and for construction Of buildings at
| the District Reformatory at Lor-
ton. Va.
The original estimates are predi-
Gated on continuance of the existing
| Sl.50 tax rate and a Federal contri-
button of IS, 700 900, the same amount
as appropriated for the current fiscal
year. The salary items also were
based on a return of S per cent Of
the IS per cent cut, which will make
i: necessary to add several million
dollars to the original estimates for
personnel services if Congress carries
out the present pay cut restoration
program.
! Representative Blanton, Democrat,
Of Texas. an active member of the
subcommittee, already has served no.
tice of his intention to seek reduc-
ton in the existing tax levy from $1.50
tc $l.20. The rate, he believed, can
be lowered through a reorganization
of the personnel that will put the Dis
trict on a more efficient basis. Dis
trict officials, however. are convinced
that Blanton is wrong and point out
that any savings by personnel read
justment would be insignificant. About
s3,O00,000 would have to be Topped
off the budget. it was said, to permit
a 3O-cent cut in the tax rate.
Mr.. Blanton said today there are
many places in the Government serv-
ice where to 10 persons are employed
in watching and taking charge of a
| particular activity or work. He ad-
vocates a return to the organization
| of a few years ago where one official
was absolutely in control Of q par
| ticular line Of work and points out
the organization has spread until now
a number Of persons are more or less
| In charge of each kind Of work. He
insists that if a single official is placed
! exclusively in control it will be pos
sible to greatly reduce the cost Of
| government in the District with
| out depriving the citizens of any of
the advantages that may be given
| them.
Blanton said he will favor the erec-
| ton of branch libraries in George
town and Petworth and approves of
q program for giving such facilities
to all parts Of the city.
Neither the regular nor supplement-
al estimates contain an item for be-
ginning construction of the first unit
| OF the municipal center. For time
the Commissioners had considered
Recommending funds for municipal
center construction in the supple
mental estimates, but this plan was
| abandoned.
The Commissioners, however, are
still hopeful Of securing q grant from
the Public Works Administration to
start work In the center.
The subcommittee had hoped to
consider the supplemental estimates
| in connection with the regular items,
but the Budget Bureau has not trans
mitted the new requests to Congress.
In fact, the bureau has not yet held
hearings on these estimates.
| Indications are that the hearings
before the subcommittee will not 90
beyond q week. Items in the regular
estimates are so thoroughly covered
In q 500-page report on justifications
that only few department heads are
likely to be called on for more de-
: etalsdesxplanAtions.