Evening star., 1940-08-08
A Sound Move

In transferring more authority and,
with it, responsibility to the District
Commissioners in relation to the
District budget estimates, Harold D.
Smith, the director of the Budget
Bureau, has been prompted by con-
siderations which should prove to be
of value to the local community.
The rigid control exercised by the
Budget Bureau, not merely over
local estimates of expenditure but
even in matters of local legislative
policy, has been illogical in practice
and to certain extent harmful in
results. When the National Govern
ment was matching District dollars
with Federal dollars under the fixed
ratio plan of appropriations, strict
Budget Bureau control of the mu-
nicipal budget was at least logical.
For the saving of local tax-derived
funds meant consequent saving in
Federal funds: there was, in other
words, specific and direct national
interest in the size of the District
budget. But when the system of
fixed ratio appropriations was aban-
doned in favor of lump-sum pay
ment, there was less reason for
Budget Bureau control of the mu-
nicipal budget.
Close Budget Bureau control of
local estimates has shown some curl
Gus and unanticipated results. The
Budget Bureau-or, more accurately,
a few anonymous individuals in
the bureau--have at times exercised
rather arbitrary control over policies
as well as finances. Some of them
have evidenced their personal predi-
lectlonS to the extent of molding
local policy. The Commissioners, on
the other hand, have passed to the
Budget Bureau responsibilities which
they should themselves have as
sumed. And in the opinion of at
least some citizens, a sympathetic
and intelligent conception of some
municipal problems was found at
the Budget Bureau which seemed
lacking at the District Building. And
under executive orders clarifying
sections of the Budget Act, municipal
officials have been prevented from
publicly advocating legislative or
other steps, without Budget Bureau
sanction, which were plainly in the
interests of the community.
Under the Budget Act, there is a
question whether there can be
complete divorce of the District
budget from the national budget.
And as matter of fact, municipal
and national interests are so closely
interviewer in the District that it is
difficult to pronounce any expendi-
ture or legislative enactment as
"purely local." Budget Director
Smith recognizes that. But new
effort now will be made to confine
Budget Bureau control to those poll
cies which plainly affect national
interests; to general supervision of
the local budget to the extent of
insistence on a balanced budget, to
supervision of repayments of mu-
nicipal indebtedness to the National
Government and kindred matters.
The Commissioners should, and 1t
Is believed they will, welcome the
opportunity to submit to Congress
each year a list of estimated
expenditures for which they hold
themselves-and not the Budget
Bureau-responsible. The framing of
next years local budget thus assumes
new significance and Importance.
There should be an end to the "buck
passing" between the Commissioners
and the Budget Bureau as to the
relative size of proposed expenditures
and the Commissioners should enlist
the active cooperation of local tax
payers In drafting a list of sound
estimates that meets the needs of
the city and not the preferences of
special groups.
Budget Director Smith is to be
commended on step which plainly
has been dictated by bis interest in
the longtime welfare of the