Evening star., 1937-01-12
"POint Two

The fiscal relations Investigators found
that under the existing system of gov
ernment in the District authority is
"diffused and decentralized" Point Two
Of their three-point formula is designed
as cure. But the cure is apparently
worse than the disease.
Effective financial authority might be
concentrated in the heads of the Dis
trict government" says the report. This
might be achieved were the District
authorities charged with formulating the
budget estimates completely and were
the budget reviewed by the proposed
advisory council before going to the
Bureau of the Budget"
Before coming to the Advisory Council,
which will review the budget, we must
become acquainted with the National
Capital Planning Commission, which
would have powers and duties enlarged
to make 1t the one responsible agency for
physical planning and development in
the District" 1t would not only de
velop long-term city plan, but it would
have authority to see that improvements
and outlays conformed with the plan"
It's personnel would include the presi-
dent of the Board of Commissioners, the
Engineer Commissioner the Secretary of
the Interior, two local citizens qualified
in planning and engineering and two
non-residents similarly qualified, all ap-
pointed by the President. It would pre-
pare the Districts capital outlay budget,
as distinct from the maintenance budget,
and decide the division of cost for all
capital outlays in the District between
the community and the National Gov
ernment. The Commissioners could veto
specific items for inclusion in the capital
outlay budget, but could not change the
division Of cost.
Now, back to the Advisory Council 1t
would be created pending the grant"
by Congress of broader powers over local
affairs" 1t would advise on the original
preparation of the District budget, the
determination of tax and revenue
sources, and on the operation and ad-
ministration of District services and
expenditures. 1t would also review the
Commissioners budget. And who would
compose 1t? Why, the new Capital
Planning Commission! Says the re-
port: With the organization of the Cap
ital improvement program, this commits
sion Capital Planning Commission)
might also be charged with the duties
of the Advisory Council recommended
In this report"
1t is difficult indeed to believe that
diffusion and decentralization of au-
thority in the District would be remedied
by substituting for the present system
which Is, of course, involved-an even
more involved system The new set-up
would divide what little authority the
Commissioners possess over budget max
ing with the new National Capital Plan
ming Commission, functioning both as
the exclusive agency for capital outlay
plans and as the Advisory Council, re-
viewing the Commissioners budget after
participating in preparing it.
More serious. however, than the new
invitation to confusion is the alien con-
ception of the National Capital which is
fundamentally at the root of Point Two
of the three-point formula. Under this
conception the local citizen and taxpayer
is removed even farther from any SEM
blance of control over expenditure of his
tax money, while his obligations as an
unrepresented taxpayer are heavily in
creased. No portion of the power over
the local budget already exercised by the
Budget Bureau is removed More power
over the local budget both in capital
and maintenance expenditures, is given
to a new agency which would be DOM
mated by combination of Federal
officials and non-residents.