Evening star., 1937-01-08

we're the budget reviewed py the pro-
posed advisory council before going
to the Bureau of the Budget.
Questions of local control over pure
ly local affairs are interviewer with
questions of the fiscal relations of the
Federal and District Governments.
Federal responsibility, for supporting
the local government could be re-
duced by comforting upon the residents
broad powers over purely local affairs.
with Congress reserving only those
powers possessed elsewhere by State
legislatures. When this has been done,
Federal payments occasioned by en-
ployment policies and standards and
by governmental costs higher than
those in comparable cities should
cease. and responsibility for admin
istration and fiscal policies and for
the level of local expenditures should
be borne by the people of the District.
Pending such local control, the ad-
visory council proposed above will af-
ford an enlarged measure of popular
representation.
UTSdHILdtfOudl SudHSCS
Are Recommended.
The recommendations in this re-
port contemplate the following or
ganizational changes in the District
and Federal Governments:
1. Changes in the present National
Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sion, to make it the one agency re-
sponsible for physical planning and
development of the District. With its
name changed to National Capital
Planning Commission, and its men,
bership modified to represent both
governments and to include citizens
qualified in planning and engineer
ing, the commission would analyze
all proposed capital improvements, de-
termine the relative quotas of the
Federal and District Governments in
meeting the costs Of each such capi-
tai improvement, and prepare the
capital budget estimates of the Dis
trict. 1t should be relieved Of present
administrative duties With the Or
ganization of the capital Improvement
program, the commission might also
be charged with the duties Of the adj
visory council recommended below.
2. Establishment of an advisory
council consisting of representatives
of the Federal and District Govern
ments and of District citizens, .ap-
pointed by the President as represen-
tatives of civic groups. This council
would advise upon budgetary and
other fiscal matters, and in the plan
ming and organization of municipal
services and administration. It would
afford an enlarged measure of local
representation pending the grant Of
broader powers of local control over
purely local affairs.
3. Establishment of a permanent
municipal survey agency, to be oper-
ated as a section Of the Bureau Of
the Budget as long as that bureau
continues to examine into and pass
upon details of the District budget.
This agency would be charged with
making continuing analyses of the
organization and operation of the
District government, with view to
making it a model of municipal ad-
ministration, and with making the
periodic reports required for contin-
uing application of the three point
formula recommended above.
In addition, the recommended So
luton of problems relating to inter-
governmental services includes pro-
posals for the following transfers Of
control over institutions:
Freedmen's Hospital from the De-
partment Of the Interior to the Dis
trict Board of Public Welfare;
The Temporary Home for Ex-
Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, from
the District Board Of Public Welfare
to the United States Veterans Ad-
ministration;
The House Of Detention, from the
metropolitan police to the District
Board of Public Welfare:
Likewise it Is proposed that the
United States District Court and the
Court of Appeals of the District be
included in the budget OF the Depart
ment Of Justice. rather than that Of
the District. r
Proposed Changes
In Budgetary Practice. ~'.~
The recommendations In this report
contemplate the following changes in
,budgetary practices and procedures
"a Inclusion Of items In annual
Federal and District departmental ap-
preparations to cover paymepts to be