Evening star., 1934-05-22
CITY HEADS DECIDE
TO CONDUCT OWN
BUDGET HEARINGS
Taxpayers to Discuss Pro-
pcsaIs Before They CON-
nit Themselves.
WORK ON ESTIMATES
WILL BE BEGUN SOON
Conferences Will Follow Action
by Congress on Measure
for 1885.

Establishing a precedent, the Dis
trict Commissioners will hold public
hearings early next Fall on the pro-
posed 1886 District budget before it is
transmitted to the Budget Bureau.
This decision was reached today by
the Commissioners in acting upon a
recommendation by Commissioner
George E. Allen, who took the posi-
ton that Washington taxpayers had
a right to express their views before
the Commissioners commit themselves
to a budget.
District officials will begin prepara-
ton of the estimates for the fiscal year
1886 shortly after Congress has taken
action on the 1885 budget. now in the
hands of House and Senate conferees.
Budget officials will prepare tentative
estimates during the Summer.
Request to Be Reviewed.
The request fer appropriations, as
submitted by the heads of the various
District agencies, will be reviewed by
the Economy Committee, a group OF
selected District officials headed by
Mai. Daniel j. Donovan, District
auditor and budget officer.
This tentative budget then will be
placed in the hands of the Commls-
sionerS.
Heretofore, great secrecy has sur
rounded not only the estimates sub
mitted by department heads, but also
the decisions reached by the Economy
Committee and the Commissioners.
While some indefinite information as
to what the budget contained has
leaked out, the net result has been
that the budget was forwarded before
the public was aware of what 1t con-
tanned.
This situation will prevail to a
large extent even under the procedure
agreed upon today. since it is not
planned to make public in detail the
estimates as submitted to the Com
missioners. At the same time, how
ever. officials explained. the general
debate expected to develop at the
public hearings may indicate con-
Sensus at least as TO what are re-
garded as most urgently needed ap-
propriationS.
Allen Expects Benefit.
Commissioner Allen made clear that
he believes the taxpayers are entitled
at least to be heard fully as to what
thev feel should be included in the
District budget. He said he was OF
the opinion the hearings would ac-
complish good in giving the Commls-
sioners advice of croSs-sectlon OF
Washington taxpayers before the city
heads take action on the budget and
send it to the Budget Bureau.
Years ago, before the practice OF
secrecy was adopted, the estimates as
prepared by department heads were
made public. This was during the
existence of the Citizens Advisory
Council, body elected by the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations. This
practice ceased. however, when the
Advisory Council went out of exist
ence.
1t had not been determined today
whether under the new policy OF the
Commissioners the original requests
from the District department heads
would be made public.
FOE years Illclc lldo JCCll d6IInIiO
on the part of civic groups to be in
formed more definitely of what is be-
ing included in budget estimates. Dis
trict officials have argued in the past
that they are estopped by law from
revealing what is in the budget. such
information being held confidential
until the President has laid it before
Congress.
Constitute Definite Departure.
The public hearings will constitute
| a definite departure from past prac-
| tice. There have been hearings on
specific problems, related to budget
making, but in the past there have
not been public hearings on the
| budget as whole.
| Only last week the Dahlgren Ter
race Citizens Association adopted 9
resolution requesting Congress tc
amend the District budget law so that
the Commissioners could hold ex-
tensive public hearings on the esti-
mates and submit lump-sum figure
to Congress, without any detailed
| itemiZation.
This resolution was forwarded tc
Chairmen King of the Senate District
Committee and Norton of the House
District Committee.