Evening star., 1945-09-20
Budget Items
Listed for Eight
More D. +. Units
$2,786,404 Sought
For Radio, Fire Boxes
Better Street Lights

Inc commissioners today made
public the l947 budget estimates of
eight more departments, totaling
$2,786, ,404 and including provisions
for INSTRUMENTATION facilities
in prisoners vans, brighter street
lights in certain sections of the city
and new fire boxes.
The Electrical Division has asked
for $1,512,041, about 100000 more
than the present appropriation.
This will cover the cost of new
equipment and additional technical
personnel.
The division has asked for funds
to purchase ultra-high frequency
radio units for installation at the
District Jail and in the two vans
that transport prisoners between
the Jail and Lorton Reformatory.
These vans carry from 10000 to l5,-
900 prisoners year. and the new
equipment is designed to spread an
escape alarm more quickly than is
now possible.
Mobile Radio Appliances.
Funds have also been requested
for the purchase of mobile radio
transmitters and receivers and re-
placement of parts for the existing
fire department and Lorton radio
sets. The transmitters and re-
ceivers will be used to equip addi-
tional battalion chiefs, so they can
maintain direct contact with fire
alarm headquarters.
Plans of the division call for in
creasing 60 and 100 candlepower
street lights to $50 candlepower.
Approximately 5000 60-candlepower
lamps will be changed in the out
lying sections of the city and LAO
100-candlepower lights, principally
in the PetWorth area, will be bright
ened. Present lights are deemed to
be below standard for residential
areas.
/ Other equipment sought are 100
fire alarm boxes. which will be
placed largely in the Northeast and
Southeast sections of the city, re-
placement of SO police patrol boxes
and of several hundred fire boxes
Among new personnel sought are
radio repairman, an engineering
craftsman, fire alarm operators,
an ambulance dispatcher, 6 tele-
phone operators, 3 repairmen, 2
mechanics, and laborers. The
operators are required to establish a
! 40-hour week.
t Requests for Buildings.
The Office of Municipal Architects
has asked for S94 900 for 1947, an in
crease of 100000 over this years ap-
preparation. Part of the increase is
! $4,000 to repair buildings of the
repair shop.
\ The superintendent of District
buildings has requested s535,l00 fol-
maintenance and care of District
buildings. He also asked an addi-
tional $50, 800 for painting the Grim.
inal Division Building of the Mu.
nicipal Court, relocation of an ele.
1vator and painting Juvenile Court
and conversion of the District Build.
ing power plant from steam to elec.
tricity. Base pay increases for an.
nual employees amount to $40 ,32s
and pay increases for cleaners tota
S15,521.
The Department of Inspection
which has requested s408,500. ha!
asked for three clerk-typists to keel
abreast of the increase in issuin!
building. plumbing, electrical per
! mits and the fire safety section. l
was pointed out that issuance o
building and plumbing permits hat
increased from 1927 in the fisca
year 1914 to 9,l80 during 1945, ant
electrical permits jumped from 8.07
in the fiscal year 1914 to 1896 dur
ing the past year.
The current appropriations TO
these 8 departments were S2,210,3OC
or s576,l04 less than the estimate
for the next fiscal year. Other bud
gets released by the Commissioner
were for the Alcoholic Beverage Con
troll Board, Board of Indeterminat,
Sentence and Parole, coroner ant
poundmaster, whose combined re-
quests we're for $178,463. The cur
rent appropriation for these &C
tlvities were Sl41,700. The ABC
Board has requested an additiona
clerk k-stenographer.