Evening star., 1937-01-08

ordinary municipal services rendered
in the District but not matched in
the average comparable city are in
ciuded here-for example. education
of nonresident children without
charge. In such Instance the solu-
ton recommended in section 8 Is impo-
sition of charge upon the special bene-
ficiaries. Similarly, statutory amend
ment to impose adequate. charges Is
recommended to eliminate deficiencies
in water main special assessments
the deficiency resulting from a statu-
tory provision fixing assessment rates
materially below actual cost. Likewise.
there are included in this category
excess costs Of ordinary services occa-
stoned by meeting special Federal
standards for employees leaves and
other working conditions. These
should be paid by the Federal Govern
ment to the extent that the excess over
the average OF comparable cities is
imposed by congressional enactment.
Capital OstIays Of
Jsint Interest.
The interests of the Federal and
District Governments are intertwined
in the problem OF Capital development
planning as a whole and in the con-
struction Of many specific public i'm
provements. The general rule for allo-
cation of costs may be the same
for permanent Improvements as for
ordinary intergovernmental operating
services, but the method of applying
the rule will differ. since capital out
lays must be considered separately Tor
each development or project and cam
not be handled by continuing con-
trsctual arrangements.
In pie1D OF the knowledge and er-
perience accumulated by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion in its administration OF parks and
participation in District planning, it
n recommended m that the po,Ders
and duties OF the commission be en-
loroed to make it the one responsible
agency for physical planning and
Development of the District: ~ that
tHS tOupttSSfOH OC CftuIVSu, UmOHU
other duties, iUith analysing proposed
capital Improvements and preparing
the estimates OF the capital budget
(os distinguished from the operating
budget Of the District, and NTH
shopinp in the capital budget the
portions payable by the District and
By the Federal Government. respec-
tiueIy: ~ that the personnel OF the
commission be modified to include
Representatives. of both Governments
and local citizens qualified in pldn-
ming and engineering, and 90 that
the commission be relieved OF its pres
ent administrative duties and re-
named the National Capital Planning
Com mission. With the organization
OF the Capital improvement program.
this commission might also be charged
mith the duties OF the advisory council
recommended in this report.
1t should be understood that the
District authorities 1ould haze the
privilege OF omitting specific Capital
Improvements from their regular
budget estimates but mould hare no
authority to modify the proportionate
cost ALLEGATIONS determined by the
Planning Com mission.
With intergovernmental services and
the Federal interests in capital OUTLAWS
adjusted by the procedures recon-
mended above. cost payments of the
District government for general de-
partments may be compared with cost
payments Of other communities. in ac-
cordance with the following definitions
and procedures.
Social and Economical
Characteristics Compared.
Comparable Communities. - Cities
differ in population, social conditions,
wealth. industries. customs. and in
countless other ways. The differ
ences, however. are comparatively
small in metropolitan cities. Com
parison of the social and economic
characteristics of the District with
those in the average Of II other cities
Of approximately the same population
are presented in section IA. These
indicate that variations OF the Dis
trict from the average exert no net
influence upon the level of govern
mental expenditures. and that the
District has greater ability to pay for
governmental services than has the
typical comparable city.
For the purpose of supplying a
standard with which to compare the
District government. it is necessary
that the group Of cities be large
enough 50 that averages will give a
good cross section of American mu-
nicipal administration and not be dis
torted by chance deviations. On the
other hand, it Is necessary that the
group of cities be small enough so
that the task OF compiling data will
not be too arduous or extended The
choice of cities should be practically
automatic. The number OF larger
cities that are adequately comparable
with the District will decrease II the
District continues to advance in pop
ulation faster than other cities. There
were In 1880 only l3 cities with popu-
lations greater than In the District.
Therefore. it is recommended IN
that the comparable cities be selected
every 10 years on the basis OF the de-
cennidl census: (2) that the number
OF other cities 80 selected be not great
er than II. and 81 that the choice
of particular cities be made by start
ing Nth the largest city which has
population not exceeding tWice that
OF the District and counting dorm
toard through the designated number
Of cities.
In the application of this formula
In the present decade, the District
stands ninth from the top, with 486,-
$50 population In the census of 1880.
Cleveland, with 900,429 population,
was the largest. and Jersey City. with
316.7l5, the smallest among the II
other cities.
Normal Governmental Services
There is no fixed body of government
tai activities which may be selected
As representing the normal services
ordinarily rendered by State and local
governments" 1t is possible to COM