Evening star., 1944-10-03
Fowler Warns
Against Boost
In D. {. 0utiays
$45,679 Surplus
Possible Only If No
Overtime Is Paid
By BATNBRIDGE CRIST.

BY BAINBRIDGE CRIST.
Budget Of1cer Walter L. Fowlel
today informed the Commissioner,
that expected District general funt
revenues for the fiscal year 194l
would meet appropriation request.
Of department heads and leave &
surplus of 81, ,679 If no overtime pay.
ments were required, but he warned
against sharply increasing operat.
ing expenses.
Mr.. Fowler said: There is neces.
sity OF providing an adequate funt
with which to face the very consid.
cradle backlog of capital outlay
items which have been necessarily
deferred during the period of the
war emergency" He pointed out
however, that as construction prof.
ects come into use there will be an
increase in operating and mainte-
nance costs for the District.
Mr.. Fowler reminded the Com
missioners that "a start toward es-
ablishing such q fund has been
made in the Appropriation Act fol
the fiscal year 1945 and that every
effort should be made to continue
and even to enlarge this fund II
that is found to be possible within
our revenue availability"
Urges Fund Request.
Furthermore" Mr.. Fowler said
speaking for the budget Office, this
ONCE very strongly recommends
that the Commissioners proceed now
to request funds in an early sup
Elemental appropriation bill in this
present fiscal year for additional
dormitories at the District Training
School, pediatric building at Gal
linger, new receiving home, new
buildings for the National Training
School for Girls and at least a start
on the building program for the
Home for the Aged and Infirm."
In general, the budgetary, picture
presented by Mr.. Fowler was this:
The total estimates of appropria-
tions recommended by department
heads for 1946 to come out OF gen.
eral revenue fund amounts to
$58, ,940, ,028, to which must be added
an estimated supplemental and de-
ficiency appropriation of $1,000. 600,
or a total of $59,940,028. General
fund revenues for 1946 are estimated
at $49,175,000, to which must be
added the 5000, 900 Federal contri-
button and an unappropriated bal
ance Of $4,810, TOT on June 30, 1945.
Hence, general fund revenues for
1946 will total an estimated SIS, 1885,
TOT, leaving a surplus of $45,679.
If the Overtime Pay Act of 1943,
which expires June 80, 1945, is ex-
tended, however, District expenses
would 60 up an additional $500, 900,
thus creating deficit If present
estimates are ultimately approved.
Total Estimate, $68,613,689.
The total estimate of department
heads for 1946 was $68,613.689, which
included appropriations to come out
of the highway and water funds.
Current appropriations for 1945 are
sec, Ills, ,069, but include number of
homecoming items, such as over
time pay, public works investment
fund and debt retirement
Regarding capital improvement
program, Mr.. Fowler advised the
Commissioners:
I'm view OF the probable cessation
of hostinties in the European the
ater of war before the end of the
present fiscal year, and the likeli-
hood Of some consequent relaxation
in priority restrictions and increase
in manpower availability, a well
rounded capital improvement pro-
gram should be adopted for 1916,
to include such construction as can
be consummated in the fiscal year.
as well as the preparation of plans
for construction to be undertaken
within the next three years.
'The proportion of the District
budget to be allocated to capital
outlay has traditionally been deter
mined by the amount Of the annual
revenue availability remaining after
providing for necessary operating
expenses. No set formula for de-
termining the proportion to be de-
voted to capital outlay has been
established, nor is one here proposed.
Cites Sharp Rise in Costs.
However, it is believed that in
framing the 1916 budget, careful
consideration should be given to the
sharply-rising trend in annual costs
of operation and the necessity of
keeping those costs within the Dis
trict's financial ability to pay. Un-
der no circumstances should our
operating expenses be permitted to
exceed our regular annual income.
I'm looking forward to the next
several fiscal years, when our reve-
nue. may we'll take a slightly down.
ward trend, the Commissioners will
bear in mind that the capital i'm
provement program will inevitably
cause a material increase in our
operating expenses as the various
construction projects under such a
program are completed and come
into use"
For 1946. general fund taxes and
earnings are estimated at $49, ,175, 900
and the estimated appropriations for
operating expenses, based on recon-
mendations of department heads,
are $50, ,260 900, with no provision for
overtime. These income estimates
1t was said, do not include the
5000, 900 Federal payment.
The 1916 recommendations provide
for 1856 man-years of employment
which includes $50 new positions at
q cost Of $1,575,9l0, bringing salaries
to $28, SIG, 1872. Recommendation
for new positions, Mr.. Fowler said
must Of necessity be made the
subject Of very careful consideration
at time like this, when there are
so many authorized positions un-
filed" On July 81, 1914, of 1891
authorized positions, 1853 were
vacant.
Pay Scale Undetermined.
Pointing out that many hundreds
of District employees will be return
ing. from the armed forces, Mr.
Fowler said, There has been as vel
no determination OF what the pay
ncalA will he fnr fhoca irr3iv,ir3,,o Il