Evening star., 1940-11-17
D. C. BUDGETS FOR I94l AND
1912 COMPARED IN TABULAR
FORM. Page AS
BY DON S. WARREN.

District officials revealed yester-
day that the Commissioners budget
for the next fiscal year. calling for
appropriations of s51, ,722, ,180, pro-
Vides S10,444, ,l80 for capital inn
provements, a considerable increase
over present outlays for similar
purposes.
The sum allowed for permanent
improvements is regarded as un-
usually large since the city heads
found it necessary, in order to pro-
vide balanced budget without
increased taxation. to slice some
$11 ,185 900 from the original re-
quests of their department execu-
tives.
The fund provided for capital
Improvements is not the largest
provided for the District-remem.
bering that there were years when
the District used its surplus" for
this purpose-but is S1.750,187
greater than sums allowed for the
purpose under the Appropriation
Act of Congress for the present
fiscal year.
S2,742.555 Increase.
The Commissioners budget es.i-
mate total amounts to s2.742.555
more than this years appropriations.
Meanwhile, it was indicated In
some quarters that ts. Comn:;s-
SionerS have proposed an increase
of about 25 in the number of mem-
berS of the Police Department. in
acting on requests of Police Supt.
Ernest w. Brown for employment
of 100 additional policemen.
Likewise, it was learned that an
item in the Commissioners budget
provides for abandonment of the
heat and power plant operated in
the District Building and the use
of the Federal Government steam
heat from the Central Heating Plant
and purchase of power from the
Potomac Electric Power Co.
5000 a Year Saving.
Cost of the conversion program
was placed at some $4,000 and it
was stated the anticipated savings
would amount to some $4,000 a year,
mostly to be accomplished by drop
ping of several District Building
employees, all of whom, it was said,
would be able to get transfers to
other District jobs. The United
States would be paid for use of its
heat, and standard commercial rates
would be paid the Potomac Electric
Power Co for its power.
While the Commissioners did not
release all details of their budget
proposals, now awaiting action by
the Federal Budget Bureau, they fol.
lowed the practice of past years in
publishing totals by departments of
their actions compared with current
appropriations Previously. they had
released the original requests that
came from their department heads
for 1912.
Funds for Food Stamp Plan.
Proposals submitted by the Com
missioners are given special import.
ance this year since the Budget
Bureau has announced a new policy
of not checking on detailed items
in the budget but rather devoting
primary attention to questions of a
balanced budget, the Federal inter-
estS and the relation between main
tenance and capital outlay. For this
reason the Commissioners this year
have devoted extraordinary atten-
ton to details of their budget pro-
posals.
1t is reported reliably that the
city heads have included in their
budget items a number of major
items, including:
An appropriation of between $50.
900 and $4,000 for establishment of
the long planned food stamp plan
for the Districts poor, this sum to
be used as a revolving fund for
purchase of Federal surplus COM
modities.
A relatively large sum for begin.
ming OF construction on a projected
grade separation structure at Four.
teenth street and Maine avenue S.W.
to relieve traffic congestion.
Welfare Agency Consolidation.
Funds for consolidation of four
District welfare agencies on a sub.
urban tract, in either Virginia or
Maryland-probably in Virginia near
either the workhouse at Occoquan
or the reformatory at Lorton-this
to be substituted for the present
locations of the Home for Aged and
Infirm, the National Training School
for Girls and the Industrial Homo
Schools for White and Colored Chill
(See D. c. BUDGET, Page A-80