Evening star., 1947-03-18
Data Show 13C Cities
Top D. {. in AIIocating
Revenue for Welfare

lne DlSCTlCt SpcIlG SuldllcI pei
centage of its revenue for public
welfare in 1945 than did 13 other
cities of comparable size, accord
ing to data studied by Senate and
House subcommittee at the start
of District revenue hearings today.
The Districts expenditure for this
purpose was SO per cent Of its total
governmental outlay, as compared
with an average of 1879 for the
other 13 municipalities. The per-
centages were compiled for the Dis
trict Fiscal Subcommittees by the
Census Bureau, committee officials
said.
Other Comparisons.
In six of the 10 categories Of city
expenditures the Districts percent
ages were above the average, how
ever.
Other expenditure percentages by
the District as compared with the
averages for the 13 cities were:
Public safety, District. 1874 per
cent, average 14.3; highways, Dis
trict, Al, average 7.3; sanitation,
District. 5.8, average 4.7; health
and hospitals, District, 1863, average
112; schools and libraries. District,
277, average 26.1; correction, Dis
trict, 80, average 90; recreation,
District, 47, average 80; general
control (such as cost OF maintain
ing general administration, Dis
trict, rs, average 8.5; miscellaneous
Cincluding contributions to enter
prises and trust Pounds exclusive
of unemployment compensation
funds), District, TT, average go.
Pupil Expenditure Higher.
A further breakdown on school
expenditures showed that in 1914
the Districts average expenditure
per enrolled pupil was $40, as COM
pared with an average of $129 for
the other 13 cities. The average
annual salary in 1914 for instruc-
tional and supervisory school per-
sonnel in the District was $2,64l,
as compared with the average of
$2,797.
subcommittee members declined
to comment on the data pending
closer study. They also were study
ing detailed information concern
ing 1945 costs of public assistance
here and in the 13 other cities. This
material indicated that $35.23 was
the average old-age assistance pay
ment per person in the District, as
compared with the average OF $40.53
for the other cities.
Other comparative figures were:
Aid to dependent children per fam
ily-District, $68.70; average, $6S.40;
aid to blind persons-District, $50 90;
average, $4669; general relief, per
case-District, $40.16; average, $50 SO.
Further Breakdown.
The District in 1915, according to
these data, was paying old-age as
sistance to 28.4 persons per 10000
civilian population, as compared
with 1902 for the average of the
other cities. The number of District
families receiving dependent chill
dren aid, per 10000 population, was
I83, as compared with the average
of 1853. Aid to dependent blind was
given to "a persons here as COM
pared with the average Of 46, and
only nine out of every 10000 of
civilian population in the District
received general relief, as compared
with the average of 1914.
The other cities were Baltimore,
Boston, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleve-
land. Detroit, Los Angeles, Milwau-
kee, Minneapolis, New Orleans,
Pittsburgh, St., Louis and San Fran
cisco.
Los Angeles and Boston, with 1873
and 1871 per cent, had the highest
percentage of expenditure for public
welfare, on the basis of municipal
revenues. Baltimore, with 84, was
next lowest to the Districts So per
cent.