Evening star., 1947-07-08
Budget
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Budget
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Peoples Counsel John O'Dea and
his secretary because testimony
showed he had little work to do
because Of the fine job" being done
by the Public Utilities Commission.
3. Orders the breakup of the Gen.
trail business Office Of the public
welfare system, started last year,
and sets up District Auditor Pilker-
son as a super watchdog for dis
bursements under the public assist
ance program.
Cuts Police Personnel Funds.
4. Reduces by about 40 per cent
requests of the Police Department
for Ill additional officers and men
by an overall cut in personnel funds,
but provides $174,000 for a new pre-
cinct station house in Benning to
relieve the hard-pressed No. ii
precinct.
5. Provides so additional employees
for the free Public Library to permit
full-time use of it's facilities. 1t
denies, however, requests for extra
help to prepare bookstock for the
new Central Library Building on
Pennsylvania avenue, west OF John
Marshall place NV. Also the re-
uuested equipment item is cut from
S57 900 to $1,000.
6. Contends that the Recreation
Board staff is "topheavy" and cuts
$17.700 from personnel requests In
the total requested budget of $l,073,-
0O0 But it includes an item OF
s220, 500 for land acquisition and for
provision of headquarters building:
7. Provides sum for installation OF
modern photostatic machines Tor
the ONCE OF Recorder OF Deeds to
speed work in copying a big back
log of filed documents. but. orders
cut of $42,250 in the $2l7,S00
budget for this Office. -
-. Agreed to Audit.
This provision followed extensive
hearings, during which DR.. Mar
shall L. Shepard, the recorder,
agreed to permit District Auditor
Pilkerton to audit his accounts
provided only that Mr.. Pilkerton
produce a statement from Con-
troller General Lindsay c. Warren
of the General Accounting ONCE
that he had such authority.
Mr.. Shepard, however, resisted
subcommittee arguments that he
should agree to the proposed plac-
ing of his office under the control
of the District Commissioners. The
printed hearings show there was
a long argument over this issue.
8. Directs the Commissioners or
the Board of Education, or both, to
study means Of holding down the
operation and maintenance costs OF
the school system. The subcommlt-
tee found these were not only
mounting, but were nearing top
Levels among other large cities.
8. Demands that the District
auditor be given more inde-
pendent status and be freed from
all unnecessary influence or re-
straints" in checking on collec-
tions and disbursements. This sup
ported a fight of Mr.. Pilkerton,
which provoked some extended de-
bate in the executive hearings, for
adoption of accounting procedures
he specified had been recommended
by Controller General Warren.
Funds for E. v. Brown Center.
10. Provides funds for the recon-
ditioning Of the old E. v. Brown
School on Connecticut avenue as a
combination branch library and rec
reation center.
IL. Includes $150,0OO for opera
ton of the Districts child day care
centers on a reduced scale in keep
ing with the measure recently signed
by President Truman. The bill
specifies that the centers shall not
be used for the care OF children OF
parents whose incomes exceed $4,000
year.
H. Includes funds which, if final
| ly appropriated, would permit the
District Commissioners to reactivate
the Highway Testing Laboratory
and to establish an asphalt plant
for materials used In street con-
struction.
In addition the subcommittee re-
port makes these declarations:
/. That the financial responsible
|, ity for maintenance and improve
ment of the ZOO Is a responsibility Of
the Federal Government and should
not "be burden upon the taxpayers
Of the District" The Commission
ers were directed to prepare pro-
posed legislation to adjust this situ-
alton.
This comment was made as the
subcommittee approved zoo budget
estimate of SASS, 400, an increase OF
$22, 300 over 1947 appropriations.
Sees d. C. Waste Of Funds.
2. That there is waste of funds
through inefhciency and duplication
in the present setup Of the Dis
trict government. The subcommittee
voiced hope that Capitalization Of
authority under the Board of Com
missioners would result from studies
by the House District Committee in
the mot too distant future" Re-
organization studies now are in
progress by the legislative group.
8. That rising operating costs of
the District government set up the
need for positive action by proper
authorities at an early date. In this