Evening star., 1938-10-30
maintenance of the municipal govern.
ment
Sl,OOO,OOO a Year Increase.

Sl,OOO,O0O a Year Increase.
In the fiscal year 1899, that part
Of the cost of operation and mainte-
nance, payable from the general fund,
amounted to s36,50O,OOO, while in
the fiscal year 1885 the cost was Ssh
! 100000, or an average increase of
| ST 600, 900 a year This condition holds
good over a longer period of Is years.
In 1925, the cost was $22 zoe, 900 COM
pared with S36.500,000 in 1899, or an
average increase for each year of
$96O,0OO. ~.
Appropriations from the general
fund for capital improvements have in
recent years been made in significantly
smaller amounts. During the nine fis-
cal years between 1925 and 1898, in
| elusive, general fund capital outlay
appropriations totaled about $50, ,OOO,-
600, or an average of $4,000 900 q year.
Since 1888, appropriations for this
purpose have been as follows: 1894,
81 1882 600: 1885, So, 800, 900; 1886. So
100000; 1887 the amount was raised
to s5,300,000; in 1898 the amount re-
manned at $5,3OO,OOO, and for 1899
it dropped to $4,700,OOO. The 1910
budget of the Commissioners carries
total for general fund capital outlays
OF about $3,50O,OO0.
This condition is reflected in the
appropriations for buildings and land
for public school use. During the
eight-year period between 1925 and
1888. appropriations for such purposes
totaled $25,000,0O0. or an average of
over S3,000000 for each year.
Building and Land Funds.
For 1888, building and land appro-
priationS for the public schools amount
ed to $1.978,00O; 1884, $4,000; 1895,
ST ,545, 900; 1886. s926000; 1887. ST.
100000, 1888. 1901 900, and 1899, ST.
703 1000. The budget for 1910 provides
$l.279, 900, which includes sl75,OOO for
branch library building for South
west Washington. tThiS latter total is
to be considered in connection with
81 038, 900 for school building construc-
tion under P. w. A. projects)
/, These matters are brought out to
show the need for early legislation
providing more comprehensive tax
structure for the District, elastic
enough to meet the Districts growing
revenue needs. including the recogni-
! tion by Congress of fairer and more
equitable Federal payment based on
no arbitrary amount. as at present,
| but worked out in such manner as
would fairly represent the respective
obligations of the community and the
Nation in the cost of the government
and development of the Capital City
Tracing the District financial ex-
perience, Maj. Donovan reported that
whereas the District ended the fiscal
year 1896 with a general fund revenue
surplus Of $2,S45.7S4, it wound up
with deficits of ST ,656.83l for the fiscal
year 1887 and of s1114.O92 for the
| fiscal year 1888. Due to the increased
tax load that was imposed, however,
/ he estimated that this fiscal year,
that of 1899, would end with reve-
nue. surplus of $l31,970.
While he estimated that the pro-
posed $50,OOo00O 1910 budget could
be financed with slightly smaller tax
revenues than now prevail, he warned
that the present congressional tax
study is intended to contemplate a
long-range view, allowing also for
some unexpected budget demands.
Additional Figure,
In this connection, Maj. Donovan
explained that while the Commis-
sioners estimates place the proposed
charges against the general fund reve-
nues at 4O,782, 1896, there should be
added to this figure about $1,000 900,
representing in part charges against
the District which are carried in other
than the District Appropriation Act.
For instance, there are the partial
payments to be made by the Dis
trict for the operation of Freedmen S
Hospital, and the costs of operation
Of the District Court and the Dis
trict Court of Appeals, in addition to
cushion" of about $5O0,000 which
has been reserved for possible supple
mental and deficiency appropriations
and for payment Of judgments against
the District Government. BY combin-
ing the normal total estimate with