Evening star., 1939-09-03
Larger District
Budget Hearing
Starts Thursday
20 Civic Leaders
Will Give Views on
$4,000, 900 TotoI

pear before the Commissioners
Thursday and Friday to present
their views on what present esti-
mates would make more than a
SOL 100000 District budget for 1941
Beginning with Col. Harrison
Brand of the Board of Trade the
witnesses will testify at 10 am on
the various items in the budget.
No official total has yet been an
nounced, as a few items have yet
to be submitted, including the esti-
mates of the newly former recrea-
ton department. Recreation Di-
rector Lewis R. Barrett has promised
to have them ready by Tuesday.
Assuming estimates for recrea-
ton comparable with those of the
present year, it was unofficially
stated the total would probably ex-
ceed $61 100000. This, nevertheless
compares favorably with the more
than s66,000,0OO requested for last
year.
The official total will probably bt
revealed in few days when Auditor
Daniel J. Donovan makes his re-
port to the Commissioners.
Much Pruning Forecast.
Since this years authorization
was slightly in excess of $4,000, 900
which is about all the new revenue
program can stand, even with the
increase of $1000,000 in the Fed
eral payment, a good deal of prun-
ing is in store for the department
proposals.
Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen in.
dicated yesterday he was somewhat
in sympathy with the criticism by
Rufus Lusk, president of the Wash
ington Taxpayers Association, OF
department heads submitting re-
quests they know cannot be ap-
proved with the revenue available
leaving the Commissioners to dc
the cutting.
Only the Highway Department
and the National Capital Park ano
Planning Commission submitted re-
quests lower than those of the pres
ent fiscal year. Smaller demands
for street improvement and mini
mum repayment to the Federal
Government were said to be re-
sponsible for this.
The Board of Educa ton, the Zoo
the electrical department. the Ma
tional Guard, the Health Depart
ment and the Board of Public We'll
fare all sought high percentage
increases largely reflected in build
ing programs.
Schools Seek 18 Million.
The schools, which this year are
operating on a little more than
$13,0O0,000, have asked for $18775..
1877. Most Of the increase is asked
in the building and land purchase
items which include series OF
24room schools to replace mum.
ber of old Groom structures, ane
special schools for handicapped
children. Two other items-tht
new Wilson Teachers College ane
the new Abbot Vocational School
which were lost in conference or
the 1910 budget, are again sought.
The argument advanced by the
School Board for land purchase
items is the same it has offered
every year, namely, that increasing
land values make suitable sites more
expensive through postponement.
Zoo Director William M. Mann
has stressed the need for a large
road improvement throughout the
park, which raised his estimates by
nearly 100000
A program to provide a number o.
new fire alarms and police call bo,
requirements is responsible for thu
Jumpin the estimates of the elec.
trlcal section. Also sought is G
supplementary item of 100000 tt
transfer the fire alarm signal sys.
tenn to its new building under con-
struction in Mcmillan Park.
Armory Building Fund.
Requests for funds to continue
construction on the new armory
which Is soon to be built at the foo
of East Capitol street and also ar
item to equip the structure &C.
count for a mammoth increase ir
the militia estimates. In addition
Brig. Gen Albert L. Cox, the com.
manding officer, has asked for S21O,.
600 to build II garages and store.
houses at Camp Simms to keep tn,
heavy motor vehicles away from
the new armory.
The Health Department, in seek
Ing a 43 per cent increase. wants tt
set up a mental hygiene bureau II
the department, build health cen
ter in the Northwest and a nev
chlldren's ward at Gallinger Hos
pital. The Board of Public Welfare
is seeking jump of 80 per cent tt
expand its child-care program, it.
work at the Lorton Reformatory TO,
the District Training School and thu
Industrial Home for Colored, and fol
new receiving home for children
IN place of present rented quarters
Others to testify on these item.
Thursday and Friday in addition tt
Col. Brand are L. A. Carruthers
president of the Federation of Citi
zens' Associations; George E. Ke
neipp of the Keystone Automobil,
Club, Washington I. Cleveland O
the American Automobile Associa
ton, A. j. Driscoll of the Mid CITY
Citizens Association. William A
Maio of the Southeast Citizens AS
sociation, John Hurley of the Michi
gan Park Citizens Association, Mrs
Ernest w. Howard of the Federation
of Womens Clubs, E. F. Harris o
the Lincoln Civic Association, Dr.
E. E. Richardson of the Congress
Heights Citizens Association, Hecto
Lazo Of the City wide Citizens Com
mittee, A. w. Lee of Randle High
lands Citizens Association, Charlie
M. Maize of the Kenilworth Citi
zens' Association, Harry Wender o
the Southwest Citizens Association
D. w. Gabelein of Chillum Height
Citizens Association, H. D. Wood
son of the Northeast Boundary Citi