Evening star., 1949-10-02
DC. Ranks High
In Hospital and
Health Spending
Survey Shows Capital
Has Least Amount
Of Debt Outstanding

IIOS IOOSt HIIlOUut
Of Debt Outstanding
Washington stands high among
American cities in it's municipal
outlays for health and hospitals.
it is indicated by bulletin on
the finances of the large cities of
the Nation in 1948. issued yester-
day by the Census Bureau.
On the other hand, the District
has the least amount of debt out
standing. $4,000. This remains
to be paid on borrowings under
the Lanham Act for wartime con-
'struction of temporary schools
and highway and sewer construc-
ton.
Washington also paid out no
"gratuities" although the 81 cities
together handed out $6,748,000.
Mayor James M. Curley's Boston
led with $2,450,000. The term
"gratuities" was not explained.
The Districts expenditures Of
$13,170,000 on its municipal hos
pitfalls and to pay for the care
of patients in hospitals the city
does not own, are exceeded only
by New York City's expenditures
for this purpose. New York spent
$66, 6,696,000 for disqualification.
Figures Are Not Comparable.
Figures for all cities, however,
are not comparable, because in
some areas patients suffering from
tuberculosis and mental diseases
are cared for in State institutions.
In some cities, also, the general
hospitals are conducted by the
county government. Chicago is an
example of this.
A number of the cities collect
more for the care of patients for
hospital service than Washington
does. The District is listed as coll
lecting $4,000 Detroit, on the
other hand, is shown to have coll
lected $5,512,000, while its ex-
penditures were $8,103,000. An
other city, Cleveland, spent So
$4,000 and collected $2.547,00
New York's collections were ST.
100000.
The Census Bureaus bulletin
lists the revenues and expendi-
lures of the 81 cities which had
250,000 or more population in
1910. Washington's rank in the
list is 11th.
District Third in Health Expense.
But in expenditures for health
Washington stood third. This
does not include hospitals. but
does include chiefly child health
services, food and sanitary regula-
ton and control of communicable
diseases. 81
Washington's expenditure Of
81, 2,444,000 was exceeded only by
those of New York and Chicago.
The District spent s1,027,000 for
child health services, the top fig
ure. with Chicago second with
81 ,024,00 Washington's outlay
of $640,000 for control of COM
municable diseases was fourth
among the cities.
Washington spent $3,329 900 on
correction, more than any other
city except New York and Phila-
delphia. Here, too. in some areas,
county and State governments run
corrective institutions.
Washington's rank in respect to
total general expenditures was
seventh, while it was sixth in total
general revenue.
Other Expenditures Listed.
It's expenditures for some other
purposes than those listed and its
rank in those respects follow:
Public safety-police, fire protec-
ton. etc.-$12,384 900, ranking
ninth; sanitation, $4,024, 900, rank
ing tenth; public welfare. s4,689,-
900, ranking eighth; libraries, ST.
074,000. ranking eighth; recrea-
ton, $3,165. 900. ranking sixth.
Washington's rate per $1,000 Of
assessed valuation of general prop
erty is given as $40. In the IA
cities of $500,000 and more popu-
lation, the lowest rate is $10.76
for Chicago and the highest $53.40
for Boston.
In all 81 cities of $50, 900 or more
population Columbus hits the low
mark with a $500 rate. and Min
neapolis leads with a $97.15 rate.
Columbus gets 81 per cent Of its
revenue from its property tax,
Minneapolis II per cent and
Washington 1873.
In general, cities with low prop
erty tax rates collect substantial
amounts in sales and other taxes.
For all of the cities together
general revenues increased IA per
per cent in 1948 over 1947 and
general expenditures increased II
per cent.