Evening star., 1944-01-13
District Budget
Keeps Tax Rate,
Wipes Out Debt
Record $66,731,055
Asked; S., 900, 900
Works Fund Set Up
By DON S. WARREN.

tr1ct budget OF $66, ,731 ,055 that
calls for no increase in taxes but
would wipe out standing indebt-
edness and still provide for crea-
tion of a $4,000 900 public works
investment fund to be used as
soon as war priorities permit was
sent to Congress today by the
President.
While development operations
generally remain under war re-
straints, funds are sought for pro-
ceeding with construction of the
South Capitol Street Bridge over
the Anacostia, for vital water and
sewer projects and purchase Of sites
and drafting of plans for school
and library buildings and expand.
ing the recreation service.
Many services would be strength
ened somewhat. including the ad-
ministration staff of Gallineer
Municipal Hospital, with the bud
get calling in all for 204 additional
employees at an annual increased
cost of S338960. Capital outlays
would amount to s4,553,528, with
new construction work mostly still
blotted out.
Police and Fire Setup.
Because of the war-induced labor
shortage, there is no request for
increasing the size of either the
Police or Fire Departments, there
now being 225 vacancies in the po-
lice force and SO vacancies among
f1remen. However, in move to i'm
prove police work when superior
officers are absent, the budget
would establish the rank Of police
corporal, one step above top pri-
vate. Corporals would be paid So
600 year, 5000 more than class-six
privates. Funds are sought for IS,
to be selected from the present
force.
The budget appears In a new
form, with the former long list Of
items to go into the appropriation
bill consolidated into shorter
schedule. While agreeing it is be-
wildering to attempt to compare
| its data with this years appropria-
tions, the budget makers declare
the real value of the "simplified"
system will become apparent later
when both present and past budgets
are in the same form.
Controller General Warren re-
Gently voiced objections 10 the new
setup and members of the House
Appropriations Committee have
promised to give it fun and fair
study. While many details of pro-
posed expenditures are lacking from
the new style bill, District and Fed
eral budget officials have explained
these are outlined fully in the budget
justiflcations which must be fol-
| lowed.
| Sl1,126,718 Figure.
The s66,7Oo,0OO budget appears
from bookkeeping summary to be
S1l l,126,7l8 greater than that for the
current fiscal year but explanations
of some of the quirks of wartime f.
nancing bring the increase down to
approximately s5.80O,OO0. This is
due partly to the overtime pay and
extra pay legislation of last year,
for which funds are carried in the
l945 estimates, but for which no pro-
vision yet has been made in District
appropriations for the current fiscal
Added fo l. e.
the Districts share of costs for
Freedman's Hospital and the higher
District Courts always carried In
Federal acts) are listed in the 1s45
District budget, but were not car
rled in this years District Act,
though the District paid such bills.
OF the calculated net increase in
the budget for next year, $4,000. 900
would be invested in Federal secur-
Iities as reserve for public works
to be constructed as soon as prior
tiles permit.
| Stoppage Of development pro-
grams since Pearl Harbor, due to
shortages of critical materials has
enabled the District to put it's finan-
cial house substantially in order and
great sums of "surpluses" that would
have piled up have been used to step
up debt retirement. For this pur-
pose the District this year is spend
ing s6850,000 and for the year be.
ginning July it is proposed to allo.
cate $4,883,524.
Confidence in Future.
The budget message, which In
general carries out the estimates
drafted by the District Commits
sloners, states: by the close Of the
fiscal year 1945, the District can face
the future confident in the strength
OF its financial position, free from
deft and with a substantial reserve
established for a postwar public
works program"
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
and his assistant, William G. Wild
ing. explained that the proposed
payments would clean up the Dis
trict's Indebtedness under the s18.-
10000 PWA program, SIS per cent
OF which was in loans; wipe out
District obligations under the
81, 100000 blackout loan authorize
tions and bring the District even
with current obligations under the
100000 Capper- -Cramton parks
and playground purchase program
for the first time in IS years of the
arrangement. AS to advances made