Evening star., 1942-01-11

the budget for the next fiscal year
certainly meets these three require
ments.
Perhaps the most interesting rev.
elation in an otherwise unspectacu.
lar budget arises over the relation
of expected revenue to proposed
expenditure. According to Budget
Bureau figures, the city will end the
1913 fiscal year with surplus Of
$3,333,516.
Time and time again the Com
missioners and District budget Of
ficials have gone to the bureau to
appeal for $500, 900 from the $780,
600 900 Presidents emergency fund
to help finance the Capitals civilian
defense program.
1t is now disclosed that the bureau
has been throwing up this alleged
surplus at the city heads with the
admonition to spend the Districts
money for its defense. AS a matter
of fact 81 900 900 Of District money
is already being spent for this pur-
pose, but will not provide all that Is
needed.
d. C. Denies Surplus.
District officials deny this is any.
thing more than a paper surplus
and contend that even it were
actual, only $500 ,595 of the So 3,333,516
Is credited to the general fund. Tho
rest is In the highway fund and
trust accounts which, by law, can be
used only for specific items and
these do not include additional fire.
men and fire protection equipment
for AFRAID defense.
The alleged surplus comes about,
1t is explained, because war prior
tiles prevent construction Of some
projects for which appropriations
are made in the 1912 budget.
Therefore, the money appropriated
cannot be spent and next June 80
goes back into the general fund Of
the District in the Treasury until
reappropriated for the same or other
purposes.
Surplus, District oficials feel,
means excess above need. TheAneed
for which the appropriations were
made has not been met and was
recognized as urgent by the fact
Of the initial appropriation. There
fore, they say, the fact that
some money Is left over because
they were prevented from spending
1T does not make 1t real surplus
that these funds are in a sense
obligated toward meeting the need
for which they were appropriated
when conditions make this possible.
They further point out that some
cushion Is necessary for necessary
deficiency appropriations during the
fiscal year which cannot now be
foreseen.
Few Capital improvements.
Whether or not there is any Dis
trict money left over and whether
or not the Budget Bureau of the
District Building Interpretation is
correct, there are many who feel
that the Federal Government has q
purely national obligation to bear
some part of the expenses of the
National Capital. Government build
1ngs are not immune to bombs, nor
Is Government personnel. District
taxpayers will have to dig into their
pockets to pay for that $1,000 900
which is now being spent.
AS the budget now stands, few
capital expenditures outside defense
needs are provided but efforts have
been made to complete projects now
under way. such as the new Public
Library, several school buildings,
! and the Northwest Health Center.
Other construction is limited to one
new school, water supply improve
ments and sewers in recently devel-
oped area, mostly in Southeast.
Civic spokesmen in recommending
a general postponement Of capital
Improvements had in mind that the
material probably could not be OBJ
tanned, that 1t probably should
not be obtained If they drew from
any defense needs elsewhere and.
furthermore, that it would be a good
idea to have an employment cush-
ion for postwar days when many
defense jobs will be eliminated. The
thought obviously was, in the latter
instance. that the capital improve
ment jobs such as those included in
the Whitehurst highway report, for
instance, would provide employment
for many persons and thus prevent
any large unemployment problem
developing suddenly in the Capital.
Invested Fund to Be Tapped.
1t might even be observed that the
postponement of such projects will
eliminate any additional targets
in case the city is unlucky enough
to be attacked.
Responding to the universal de-
mand that water rates not be raised.
the 1943 budget. while containing
several good-sized building projects
to be charged against water reve-
nues, will postpone at least for 1943
the need for higher rates by dipping
into the special investment fund Of
some $1,7oo0oo in Government
bonds.
The fund has accumulated by an.
nual savings and was to be used for
necessary expansions in supply
when they became necessary. For
the first time the budget now car
ries authorization to the Secretary
Of the Treasury to sell $588 ,307 worth
of the bonds.
Among the individual items which
civic organizations have sought and
which are still in the 1943 estimates
are:
One hundred additional police and
. new police precinct at Forty-sec-
ond street and Benning road NE.
A new fire station at North Cap
itol and Crittenden streets.
An increase Of more than $50 900
in the fund for repair OF public
school buildings and grounds.
Eight new positions for the DE-
partment Of Vehicles and Traf1c.
Sons Of Veterans Dance