The Washington times., 1934-09-24
D, c. BUDGET Ak
. To HIT SCHOOLS
AND RELIEF
Commissioners Pairing ESti-
mates to Bone to Avoid
Tax Boosts for Next Year
BY EARL GOODWIN

The District Commissioners are
in an all-day conference today on
the 100000 estimates for the
fiscal year 1896 as made up by the
various depal 5ment heads. who
are scheduled to appear at inter-
walls at the conference until the
last item is discussed On the
table before the Commissioners is
an ak with which $10,000,000 is
to be Topped from the estimates
as a starter, as the Districts rev.
enue for 1886 will be only $780,
367, 900.
Principa. sufferers under the ak
are schools and relief, which asked
for increases of $3.626,000 and
$1,000, 900, respectively.
Only Three New Schools
The Commissioners right now
favor asking for money for new
schools only in the case of the
| Woodrow Wilson High and the
Anacostia Junior High, both un-
der construction; and for Jeffer-
son Junior in the southwest.
Two of the three Commissioners
have said they would not approve
the additional $3,000,00o for relief
until the time came, when it was
apparent the city could not get
along without; the extra figure
will not go into the budget, it is
assured.
The Commissioners now plan to
cut the budget to the bone, re-
frain from increasing taxes and
to ask Congress for larger con-
tribution.
The Commissioners have a new
light on new taxes. They have
been advised by Auditor Donovan
and Assessor Richards that they
cannot present Congress with a
budget dependent on new sources
of revenue.
Budget rIust Fit Revenue
In other words, the Commits
sioners cannot go to Congress and
say:
1--WE need S4O,OOO,OOO this
year, and one of the ways we
propose to use in getting it is
to impose an additional tax
on gas and an inheritance tax"
In the words of Assessor
Richards:
"The Commissioners must go
to Congress with a budget for
the fiscal year 1886 based on
their present resources. Their
budget they are now working
on must fit the present sources
of revenue. If the budget doesn't
fit the amounts, then the only
elastic sources are the rates on
real and personal property. The
Commissioners can increase
these without an act OF
Congress"
This means that the money for
the fiscal year ending June 30.
1896, must be raised on what the
District now has, plus what
Congress contributes. It is the
present intention of the Com
missioners to ask for larger
contribution from the Federal
Government and not raise C41e
real estate tax rate.
Police and Fire Needs
Two items the Commissioners
may pass by as requested by the
heads of departments are the po-
lice and fire items. Major Brown
asked approximately $4,000,00O
for the police. an increase Of
$3.50, 900, and Chief Schrom asked
$2,437 900 for the Fire Depart
ment, an increase of only $479, 900.
The Commissioners realize that
the Police Department is sorely
pressed for men. and is taking on
extra duties all the time: and they
realize that the fire equipment is
not up to par. Commissioner
Hazen is a staunch defender OF
these items.
If the present view of the budget
matter is held correct, there
will be no request for an in
creased gasoline and inheritance
tax; no request for a D. c. in.
come tax except as something en-
tirely aside from the fiscal year
1885 and it's needs. The Commits
sioners figure that a cent added
to the two cents a gallon tax on
gasoline will produce roundly
(ronH:~u.H m Pace ID. Col. -