Evening star., 1960-11-11
AUDIT
AUDIT
GAO Says District
Missed u. S. Aid
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
for the interstate highway pro-
gram unless all elements of cost
eligible for reimbursement are
included in the claims for re-
endorsement.
However, some highway Of
ficials indicated that. in their
opinion. the District has OBJ
tanned the proper amounts re-
imbursable under the ABC pro-
gram (Federal aid for construc-
ton of local roads, and will
continue to obtain the proper
amounts reimbul sable as long
as the costs claimed by the Dis
trict are sufficient to obtain
their full apportionment.
"The officials indicated also
that they believe it is therefore
unnecessary to accumulate all
costs applicable to the ABC
construction projects or to
claim reimbursement for any
costs incurred on such projects
over and above the amount re-
quired to obtain the Federal
funds apportioned for reim-
bursement to the District.
Mr.. Samuelson said that he
agreed that the District can
not obtain, in any one year,
more Federal ABC funds than
have been apportioned to the
District.
Lesser Burden Seen Possible
However" said Mr.. Samuel
son, we believe that if the Dis
trict had scheduled prior ABC
project and related agreements
in manner whereby the costs
of all projects did not exceed
twice the amount of the annual
Federal ABC apportionments
to the District, and if the
project agreements had pro-
vided for the reimbursement of
all elements of cost, the District
would have borne a lesser por-
tion of the cost of the projects
and now would have a greater
amount of District funds
available for matching cur
rently available Federal ABC
funds :"
Schuyler Lowe, director of
the District Department of Ad-
ministration, issued the follow
ing written statement:
1--WE have in the past, and
expect to continue to do so in
the future, utilized to the full
the Federal funds actually
available for highway construc-
ton.
"The District of Columbia
has on occasions, however, not
claimed the full reimbursement
that appears technically due it
on individual projects. because
to do so would require delays
in the scheduling of future
projects, the importance Of
which dictated proceeding in
the manner that has taken
place.
Road Director Dissents
This procedure seems fully
justified in view of our contin-
uing practice to obtain all the
funds that are actually avail
able"
H. L. Aitken. director of the
District Department of High
ways said that many of the
comments made in the GAO
letter are historical or aca-
demic."
II don't think the District
has lost any Federal funds ap-
portioned to it," said Mr.. Ait
ken. He added, however, that
he would have to check his
records to answer specific
points raised in the letter.
MIR. Aitken said that some OF
the decisions in applying for
Federal funds were made before
he became director of the De-
partment of Highways.
Recommendations made by
Mr.. Samuelson in his letter re.
port to Commissioner McLaugh.
lin were:
l. That the director of gen.
eral administration develop 9
system of accounting "for &C.
cumulating by project all eli.
gible costs incurred in the con.
struction of Federal-aid high.
way projects"
2. That the Department o.
Highways establish procedure.
for claiming reimbursement
from Federal funds for all eli,
gible interests and local high.
way construction projec
costs.
3. That the Department O
Highways and Traffic file claim
for reimbursement from Fed
eral funds of all "eiligible costs
on incomplete projects whethe
or not the recovery of all item
of cost was provided for in tn
original project agreements.