Evening star., 1952-04-13
Budget Bureou Directors Settlement on
D. c. Reorganization Plan. Pose Ala

tensive" study. That the executive
agency was even working on a
plan of its own came as surprise
to the District Commissioners
about two weeks ago.
Not until now have the Com
or the public had more
than a general idea of the man.
ager-council form which the Bu-
reau wants reorganization to take.
The Commissioners blueprint
publicized since last November
calls for streamlining city gov
Iernment under the present three
Commissioner form.
Opposition RevOiced.
Having scanned the newly-re-
leased details of the Budget Bu-
'reau proposal, the Commissioners
yesterday repeated their strong
opposition to it. Engineer Com
missioner Bernard l.. Robinson
VINO submitted the city'S own re-
organization plan declared: De-
tails of their proposal haven't led
me to change my mind at ALL"
Bureau officials and the Com
missioners are scheduled to meet
Wednesday for their first Joint
conference on reorganization since
President Truman gave such in
structions more than a week ago.
The results are problematical,
since both groups seem intent on
clinging to their own plan.
Presidential action on one plan
or another will have to be taken
by not much later than May /.
or there won't be time for a reor-
ganization plan to be adopted be-
fore Congress adjourns this ses-
sion for the political conventions.
Principal Points of Plan.
Here are principal points of the
Budget Bureau plan:
The council would consist of
from five to nine presidentially-
appointed part-time members
serving overlapping four-year
terms at a salary between $4,000
and $4,000 annually. The Presi-
dent also would name one of their
number mayor, at $1,000 a year.
The whole board would be a
"policy-making" body for city
government-insofar as policy"
would not encroach on the tradi-
tional power of Congress to
legiSlate for the District.
The council, in turn, would ap-
point city manager at $40, 900
a year to have direct administra-
tive control of the government. He
would be ansWerable to the coun-
|cil, just as it would be answerable
to the President and Congress.
Managers Powers.
The manager would appoint all
department heads and tell them
how to operate their departments.
He would prepare the budget, di-
rect expenditures and supervise
personnel. His job also would be
to make reports and policy recon-
Imendations to the council.
The city manager would over
see 10 departments. half of these
substantially the same as exist
ing agencies: Law, Health, Well
fare, Corrections and Recreation.
OF the others:
A Finance Department would
assume the duties of the existing
offices of the auditor, assessor, tax
collector, disburser and purchaser.
among others.
A Public Safety Department
would bring the police and fire
IdepartentS under the adiniStra-
ton of single civilian depart
ent head. This would give "closer
supervision" over both forces, &C
cording to the Budget Bureau.
Combines Engineering Offices.
Public Works Department would
bring under one chief nearly all
engineering functions handled by
such existing Offices as highway,
sanitary engineering, construction
and inspection.
Industrial Relations would be
centered in one department to
handle the natural family" of
activities concerning labor in
private industry.
A Business and Occupational
Standards Department would con-
solidate the present agencies
which regulate professions and
trades.
Under the Budget Bureaus
overall plan, a number of exist
ing agencies would remain inde-
pendent from city manager super
vision. These include the two
zoning bodies, Board of Library
Trustees, Public Utilities Com
Recorder of Deeds and
the National Guard.