Evening star., 1936-08-30
: Budget
fContinued From First Page.)

the Budget Bureau and action there
will not be disclosed until the budget
is sent to Congress by the President.
Will Be Handicapped.
The Commissioners will be handi-
capped this year particularly because
they have no way of estimating the
size of the Federal payment to be
suggested by the Budget Bureau or
the President. A commission named
by President Roosevelt now is analyz-
ing the fiscal relations of the District
and Federal Governments, but its rec
concentrations will not be made until
after Congress meets in January.
Increases in appropriations proposed
by the major District departments
yesterday provoked criticism from the
washington Taxpayers Association,
which will demand drastic slashes at
the forthcoming hearing.
A SO per cent boost in taxes would
be needed to meet the proposals of
the school, welfare. fire, police. health,
traffic and library divisions Of the gov
ernment, the association declared. This
calculation does not include any pos
sible boost in the Federal payment.
Requests Slashed.
Each year the Commissioners have
made deep cuts in the estimates OF
the department heads. Last year the
original requests amounted to $54,-
900 900 and this figure was reduced
to 47,400, 900 when the Commission
ers sent the estimates to the Budget
Bureau. The final appropriation for
this year amounted to $43,600, 900, ex-
elusive of trust accounts.
Strict economy was ordered for 1888.
because calculations show net deficit
at the end of this fiscal year of more
than 100000 is probable and that
current appropriations amount to
nearly 100000 more than revenues
to be collected during the present rs
cal year.
Including trust funds amounting to
81 ,435, 1000. the proposals of the de-
partment heads for the next fiscal
year actually amount to SIS, ,462. .433,
but this Is q gross figure, since trust
funds are not dependent upon regu-
lar tax levies. The proposed budget
Is the greatest on record.
OF the proposed $14. .4l3 900 increase
over this years appropriations, $12,-
652,953 would be chargeable to gen.
eral fund items, and Of this figure
So, 100, 900 would be for increases In
activities Of the schools and the
welfare agencies, according to calcu-
lations made by Budget Onacer Daniel
j. Donovan. In other words, about
Sc per cent Of the increase In general
fund items would be for schools and
welfare.
$l7,525,s1s for Schools.
For school purposes the Board Of
Education requested . total Of ST.
525,619, or $5,o30,65s more than ap-
for this year. The Board
Of Public Welfare also sought an in
crease of 40 per cent In asking . total
Of $11,3s1,3 ,353.
"The Commissioners are confronted
with q formidable and difncult job
In cutting these estimates" said .
statement released last night by the
Washington Taxpayers Association.
Simply because most of the money
Is to be spent for objectives that are
admittedly good, such as health and
education. does not mean that this
organization will hesitate to advise
drastic cuts in such items. This asso-
citation viii pull no punches.
Unless q sharp blue pencil is used
and used freely-the people may look
forward either to the greatest boost
in taxes they have ever seen or to the
Of many new ones, and
probably to both.
THE 1888 estimates submitted BY
heads Of only seven District DEPART
welfare, IRE. police,
health, traflc and hbrary-would raise
taxes on real and personal property,