The Washington times., 1934-09-07
Anomalous Financing
The City's Budget

As the District Commissioners start upon the task of
cutting the estimates of departmental heads for the fiscal
year 1886 meet the expected of the city for
that period attention is again called to the absurd
budgetary situation of the National Capital.
No matter how the city heads may decide to apportion
the income matter how many suggestions and prayers
they may receive from interested citizens their
mendations may be cast aside at the last moment by
Federal agency.
THE DECISION AS TO HOW THE DISTRICT TAX
PAYERS MONEY SHALL BE SPENT WILL BE
REACHED BY THE BUREAU OF THE BUDGET,
POSSIBLY IN TOTAL DISREGARD OF THE Elk
PRESSED WISHES OF THE LOCAL CITIZENS AND
OF THE OFFICERS WHO PRESUMABLY KNOW
MORE ABOUT THE CITY's NEEDS THAN ANY
OTHER AGENCY.
This, in the minds of all who have made any sort of
detailed study Of the city government the outstanding
fault of the present system.
In its absurdity it transcends the anomaly of de-
priving half million citizens of their right to par
tcpate their Government simply because they happen
to live in designated 10 miles square.
It is possible to build up good for having the
Constitution provide that exclusive power to legslate
for the District shall reside in Congress.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ADVANCE ANY C0NvINC-
CROSSED IN FEDERAL AFFAIRS AND UN-
FAMILIAR WITH DISTRICT CONDITIONS SHOULD
HAVE THE FINAL WORD IN SAYING WHAT AP-
PROPRIATIONS SHALL BE REQUESTED OF CON-
GRESS FOR THE DISTRICT, TO BE PAID OUT OF
TAXES LEVIED AND COLLECTED BY THE DIS
TRICT FROM DISTRICT RESIDENTS.
The present District Commissioners apparently want
to do everything in their power to make the budget
sponsive to the wishes of the local citizens
For this reason they purpose to hold public hearings
the estimates submitted by their departmental heads
At the hearings they will be informed of the wants of
the local people and presumably will endeavor to comply
with those wants in the estimates which they will ulti
matey submit to the Bureau Of the Budget
NO MATTER HOW CONVINCING A CASE MAY BE
MADE OUT BY CITIZENS AT THOSE HEARINGS
FOR ANY PARTICULAR EXPENDITURE IT WILL
BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DISTRICT COMMIs-
SIONERS TO GIVE ANY ASSURANCE THAT THE
EXPENDITURE WILL BE IN THE BUDGET WHICH
IS TO BE SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS-
More than that under the law the District Commis.
soners are forbidden to make any plea to Congress
behalf OF an item which may be cut out of their estimates
by the Bureau of the Budget They may not even men
ton such item the appropriation committee of the
House.
With the Districts finances rapidly reaching an acute
stage because of lack of revenue and with millions of
dollars Of debts accumulating result of borrowing
from the Federal Government this lack of autonomy on
the part of the city in its fiscal affairs becomes ncreas
ingly alarming
It possible that the whm of some Federal official
in the Bureau of the Budget the entire fiscal plans of the
local officials might be put awry.
THIS SITUATION WOULD BE RIDICULOUS
WERE IT NOT so ALARMING
SINCE 1T IS ALARMING IT BEHOOVES OUR CITI-
ZENs IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND AS IN
DIVIDUALS TO LAUNCH AND CARRY TO CON-
CLUsIoN A VIGOROUS MOVEMENT TO REMEDY
THE CONDITION.
Physical Culture Note