Evening star., 1950-01-09
Proposals Indicate
Nearly Two Million
Surplus Next Year
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SuIPIuS NCM ICQl
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1nf1rm at Blue Plains to provide
an inflrmary, a separate laundry
building and some improvements
to the grounds.
District finance officers say the
costly plan for building an en-
tirely new plant on country To-
cation has been forgotten but
that the new moves to improve
Blue Plains are tied to a desire to
expand there later to take care
Of many more of the unfortunate
aged, some of whom now wind up
at st. Elizabeths Hospital.
8. An additional $4,000 for
plans for new buildings for an
Industrial Home School for white
boys and girls to be built at a cost
Of $1,600.000 at Laurel, Md, and
$4,000 for a new kitchen for the
Industrial Home School for Col
orded Children.
4. Funds for beginning con-
struction Of a new bridge over the
Anacostia River on the line of
East Capitol street If the District
Commissioners have their way.
Part Of $6,000,000 Plan.
This would be part Of a $6,000,-
900 program for 1851, half the
cost of which would be covered by
Federal aid funds. Other items
include work on q new Sixteenth
street underpass for Military road
and . bridge over Rock Creek at
Military road.
Construction Of the second span
Of the new Highway Bridge over
the Potomac is left to the future.
5. Schools as usual won the big
sest chunk Of the budget-$2s,-
S22, ,300-but instead Of re-
quested increase of more than
$10,000,000 they were granted a
little over half that amount.
A capital outlay of $5,400. 900
for school construction - about
half that asked-was recon-
mended. to provide sites for a
half-dozen schools, plans for two
new projects, for new projects or
continuation of projects at nine
other schools and for equipment
for IA buildings.
6. Provision of 146 more men
for the Fire Department, to put
the force on an authorized CO.
hour work week, and for A more
employees for the Police Depart
ment, which had contended 83
were needed. The authorized
strength of the Police force now
is 1884 but there are 60 vacancies.
80 Employees Approved.
AS to personnel, also, the schools
had asked for 1874 more employees,
mostly for general supervision and
instruction, but got approval for
90. The health services and hos
pitfalls had sought an extra 881
workers and won approval Of 1873.
Z. A new item of $4,000 is
proposed to finance IAN engi-
neering study of records Of the
District Government" District Of
ficials said 1t was believed thou
sands Of dollars could be saved If
the city could sort out and dispose
of some of the huge stacks Of
stored records, now occupying
costly space in municipal build
ings. This was considered in
keeping with the call Of President
Truman for continuing improve
ment in Government management
practices.
Papers to Be Destroyed.
City officials said the plan en-
visioned destruction of tons" Of
useless papers. the possible photo
stating or microfilming Of some
necessary old records and perhaps
moves to eliminate some Of the
routine red tape and "indorse-
ments" In the handling of paper
work.
8. Welfare programs would take
more than $1s,e0o.oo0 Of the
total outlay. an increase Of
$4,000, 900 over this year. but
public assistance as well as other
items felt the pruning knife.
The Federal payment toward
District costs next year would re-
main at $l2,00o,ooo, including
100000 in payment for city
water the Government uses.
Real Estate Still Bears Burden.
While new blood has been in
jected into the once willing city
finances by the adoption of the
sales tax. the budget message
shows once again that real estate
still is bearing the lions share of
city costs. Realty alone is ex-
pected to produce $35, 100000 of
next years revenues, or about AZ
per cent of the general fund
receipts. ~
The real estate and personal
property levy Is based on an esti-
mated valuation Of $1,939. .0o0, 900,
taxed at $2.15 per 500 for realty
and 81 per 500 per personal
property. The estimated valua-
tion shows an increase Of $68, ,000,-
900 over this year.
A number Of reasons are given
for the expected $4,000, 900 sur
plus at the end Of this year. One
was that receipts had zoomed be-
yond expectancy. Inheritance
and estates taxes, for instance,
rose to $4,000, 900, double the esti-
mate: and the new tax on ciga-
.rettes Is going $400. 900 above the
old estimate of 100000. The
$l,420. 900 fine levied against John
L. Lewis and his miners has add
cd $3.50, 900 to the city treasury
since the District pays so per cent
Of the costs Of District Court and
gets so per cent Of its receipts.