Evening star., 1945-05-25
House Unit Cuts
DC. Supply Bill
To $65,000,00
Report Demands Tax
Study, SimpIificotion
Of 70 City Units
BY DON S. WARREN.

An economy -mlnQeQ ApprOpIl-
ations Committee today sent to
the House a 1946 District supply
bill that slashes budget estimates
to the tune of $1,766,000 but still
calls for net outlay of nearly
$65, 100000. Provision yet is to
be made for proposed basic
pay boost for District employees
which would bring the total to
$69 ,0O0, 900 or more.
Brimming with recommendations.
an accompanying report by the
District subcommittee which draft
ed the bill urged general over
hauling and simpliflcation of the
District government.
1t also recommended tax
revenue study, voiced concern over
future municipal financing and
contained sharp criticism of some
District agencies and programs.
Traffic, police, welfare and school
divisions, as well as the Commis-
sioners, were mentioned.
Slashes ordered by the subcom-
mittee, headed by Representative
Coffee, Democrat, of Washington.
and Endorsed today by the full
Appropriations Committee, reduc-
ed the formal budget estimates
from s66,754,205 to S64 1888 ,080-or
to a level nearly $685. 900 below
current appropriations, not count
ing some s4,0O0,000 spent this year
for wartime extra pay.
Basic Tax Unchanged.
For 1916, there would be no change
in basic tax rates and the Federal
payment would remain at the S.
900 900 lump sum-
Almost all the departments and
agencies felt the pruning knife.
Only the Welfare Department and
several minor budget items showed
increases over budget requests,
though a larger number was given
increases over net appropriations for
this fiscal year.
| The general manpower shortage,
which has kept 1892 District posi-
tions vacant, though funds were
available, motivated much OF the
slashing of estimates. And here,
the Coffee subcommittee adopted a
new expedient. Seeing no good to
result from tieing up funds for jobs
that it thought could not be filled
in the next year, it made heavy
lump sum cuts in salary items and
directed the Commissioners and Dis
trict Budget Officer Walter L. Fow-
Ter to prepare, in consultation with
department executives, working
budget" on a current job basis.
In this connection, it held that
widespread vacancies in jobs were
largely due to low salary scales for
many positions and strongly recon-
mended an upward reclassiflcation
of such jobs.
Capital improvement items also
did not escape the cuts. While funds
were provided for progressing with
sizeable improvements or plans for
improvements to health, welfare and
school programs, there were sharp
cuts in school building plans, the
library expansion program and some
others, including the Department of
| VehlcleS ana franc.
Outstanding Features.
Outstanding features of the bill
and report were:
l. A recommendation that the
Commissioners undertake a thor
ough survey" of the organizational
structure of the city government to
bring about consolidation of num-
ber of departments and agencies ito
centralize under fewer responsible
heads the various functions now
carried on Independently"
These were not identified but the
committee said it "is not impressed
with the need of approximately 10
agencies and departments for
municipality of this size. There is
no question but that this large num-
ber of separate agencies has resulted
in a division of authority, certain
amount of overlapping and general
inef6ciency of operation"
2. A declaration that thorough
analysis" of the Districts financial
structure is in order, IF the present
budget requests are indicative of
trend for continually increasing ap-
preparations.
Il In this connection the committee
warned that the budget sent to Con-
gress ran to more than $500, 900
above revenues expected to be COL
lected in the next year. Revenues
available in 1916, it said. would total
So, ,806, 1894, or about 100000 above
the budget estimates only because
SIC, ,OO0, 900 has been earmarked for
postwar capital improvements, and
because the District will have a sur
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