Evening star., 1948-09-20
|We|fareBudqet
OF $14,280,790
Sought for 1850
$7,699, 900 Asked for
INDECENT Patients
At St. EIizubeths
By Jerry O'Leon, Jr.

The Public Welfare Depart
ment today submitted to the
Commissioner a 14,280, 100 bud
get estimate for fiscal 1850 which
exceeds this years welfare ap-
preparation by 81 ,4Oo, 900 although
it provides no new services and
only one minor construction
project.
Largest single increase requested
Is included in the s7,669.00o fund
for support Of Washington's INDECENT
insane in st. Elizabeths Hospital.
The increase is $987,000 over the
Sc, ,682, 900 appropriated last year for
District per diem payments to the
Federal hospital.
Welfare Director John w. Tram
burg said the increase was caused
by a daily average increase in Dis =
trict patients at the hospital. Z
The welfare Department must pay"
s415 a day per patient. There will
be a daily average of 5,063 District
patients there in fiscal 1850. h1
Only S1S5, 1000 For Construction. 80
The welfare construction program
was cut to the bone by Mr.. Trans,
burg and his administrative ofd-
GER, Frank M. Gray. Sole capital !,
outlay project requested in the estt.. "
mates seeks $185,000 for completing
partially finished residences for en-
ployes and the medical staff at the
District Training School, Laurel, Mds "a
Congress appropriated $180.000 this Il
year to begin the residences. oluop
No other new construction aais y
asked by Mr. Tramburg in the budget
of department that created prof.
ects costing millions of dollars in1'
better years. Mr. Tramburg saidIa
he welded the economy ak vigoraT
ously because of the Commissioners M
recent order restricting hiring andid
banning all new construction. rs 10
Although the Commissioners or A
dered strictest economy In the 1860 n
budget estimates, the department., 4
heads have asked for $110, ,118,648 to7s
to run the city in the next fiscal
year. The amount is $4,000, goo r
more than the 1949 appropriations )
and Budget Officer Walter l.. Fowler Il
has predicted general fund reve-
nue. availability for fiscal 1850 Of (
only $so,o0o,ooo. VI
Day Care Centers to Close. n
Another saving pointed out by thu O
welfare planners is in the expira.
tion Of the Districts day care centers
next June 80. The District Is pay,
ing $l50,00o this year for the centers,p
but the act of Congress providing
for the centers does not extend to
1850. a.
The Public Welfare Departments
next biggest budget request Is the !
$3,973,680 for agency services. This "
year, there is an appropriation of !.
So, ABS 200 for the agencies dealing
with the public. The increase asked
for 1850 Is s488.48o
The Public Assistance Division.
largest of the agency services, wants
81, ,709 .821 in 1850 compared with the
81, ,400,65 it received for fiscal 1949.
In addition, it will receive about ST.
725 ,274 In Federal funds during the
fiscal year beginning next July l.
U. S. to Contribute $1,579,692.
The greatest part of public as
sistance funds, $2,440,272 would go
to the public in the form Of assist
ance grant checks giving financial
aid to persons and families in need.
With Federal matching fund OF
$1,579,692, the welfare department
plans to spend $4,0l9,964 in assist
ance grants during fiscal 1850.
The Districts $2,440,272 share Of
these payments Is $289,908 more
than was appropriated for fiscal
l949. Mr.. Tramburg said the num-
ber of persons receiving grants will
be limited by restriction, but Con-
gress has authorized higher assist
ance amounts already in effect. This
increase accounts for the higher
appropriation asked by the depart
ment for helping the same number
Of people.
In telling the Commissioners of
the problems facing the Public As
sistance Division, Mr.. Tramburg
said:
1.-The high birth rates of the last
two or three years are bringing twice
as many children into the District
each year as are reaching maturity
or dying. This means that our
childhood population Is increasing
| 5 per cent year, not counting any
gain from immigration
AT the same time, the lengthen-
ing span of life is increasing the