In its report on the fiscal year 1979 appropriations bill for the District of Columbia, the Committee requested a report from the city on the compensation policy for individuals who serve on advisory boards or commissions. This report was to accompany the fiscal year 1980 budget. No such report has been received to date, and the only information provided the Committee was that the compensation policy was under review by the Mayor. The Committee feels that sufficient time has passed since this request was made to conduct a review, and therefore requests the Mayor provide this report to the Committee not later than August 15, 1979.

Also included in the amendment is funding to establish a citizens participation unit under this Office to make citizens more aware of the city's planning process and to encourage contributions that groups and individuals may wish to make. The Committee notes with interest the fact that capital improvement projects have been exempted from the referendum process by recent action of the Council and the Mayor. This action seems to be in direct conflict with the proposal to establish a citizens participation unit in the Office of Planning and Development. While the Committee has not included funding in the bill for this initiative, it recommends that the Mayor establish liaison with the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to accomplish the same citizen input.

3. The budget amendment also includes a request for 18 positions and $665,400 to fund the Office of Business and Economic Development. Until this year, the office has been funded entirely with Community Development Block Grant funds diverted from the Department of Housing and Community Development. The Committee has denied this request and directs that the functions of the office be assumed by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the agency that provided the grant funding used to staff the office in the past. Within available resources, the Department should allocate sufficient resources to conduct programs consistent with overall priorities. The Committee requests that the Department report on efforts to accomplish this directive by September 15, 1979.

1.

The status report on the compensation policy for members of boards and commissions was submitted to the Subcommittee on August 14, 1979.

The Mayor's Office of Community Services serves as the liaison with the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and receives citizen input from the ANC's.

A report was forwarded to the Subcommittees on September 14, 1979, which indicated that decreases in Federal funds for Community Development Block Grants makes it infeasible to continue funding economic development activities in general and specifically the Office of Business and Economic Development.

The Committee suggests that the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Office of Planning and Development work together to insure that the city capitalizes on its existing investment in studies and plans already at hand.

The Committee recommends that steps be taken to improve the operation of this office, especially in the area of verifying information supplied by landlords in petitions for rent increases.

Continued administrative improvements by the city in the Disability Retirement Program are required in order to eliminate abuses and strengthen the review process. Accordingly, the Committee recommends a reduction of $5,000,000 in the city's pension program. This reduction is to be applied to police pensions in the amount of $3,500,000 and to fire pensions in the amount of $1,500,000. In addition, the Committee expects quarterly reports on steps taken to improve the administration of this program. If proper steps are taken and the city is to demonstrate significant improvements, supplemental funding for retirement benefits will be considered by the Committee.

The Committee directs that the new pay rate for substitute teachers be accomplished within existing resources, should the Board of Education decide this action is of a high priority.

The Department of Housing and Community Development and the Office of Planning and Development coordinate their efforts in the planning and housing areas.

The Rental Accommodations Office has taken steps to improve the operation of the office as best it can within existing resources. The office has been consistently understaffed which has caused backlogs in processing applications and the hearing, and disposition of cases. The approval of the request in the FY 1981 budget of 8 positions will help reduce the backlog and enhance the operation of the office.

6. Quarterly reports are being submitted to the Subcommittees.

7.

Substitute teachers are receiving higher rates of pay; however, there will be fewer substitute teachers.

Since action taken by the Committee will require changes to the proposed budget and programs for fiscal year 1980, the Superintendent of Schools and the School Board are directed to submit a report explaining exactly how the adjustments will be made for the upcoming school year and what cost saving measures are contemplated for future years, in terms of both program and facility management. This report should be forwarded to the Committee no later than September 15, 1979.

The Committee feels compelled to again recommend that the library institute an annual book inventory to determine the extent of lost or stolen books. Increases in future years for acquisition of new books will be contingent upon the status of an annual book inventory.

The Committee is observing with interest the current summer youth jobs program, and plans to conduct hearings in the fall to assess the program with an eye toward making necessary improvements prior to the start of the 1980 effort. Bill language has been included limiting the availability of funding for the summer youth jobs program, pending approval of a plan by both the Senate and House Appropriations Commissions. The Committee also plans a thorough review of the jobs for adults with dependents program during the next series of routine budget hearings.

The Committee was disturbed to learn of the wasteful and foolish use of personnel assigned to identifying and removing ineligibles from the welfare roles. The conference report on the appropriations bill for the District for fiscal year 1972 (H. Report 92-755) Congress specifically added 45 positions and $203,800 to the budget of the Department of Human Resources only for the purpose of hiring investigators to identify and eliminate ineligible welfare recipients. The Committee learned that the positions were being used as social caseworkers. The Committee directs that the Director of the Department report quarterly to the Committee the number of vacancies in this office and the savings generated by its work.

A letter dated February 12, 1980, from Calvin Lockridge, President, Board of Education, to Hon. Patrick Leahy, Chairman, D. C. Subcommittee on Appriations, stated that final programmatic reductions will be determined prior to the organization of school for September, 1980, and that a detailed report would be submitted after that determination is made.

The Library has moved forward to institute an annual book inventory system which was begun in June, 1979.

10. The Senate Subcommittee on Appropriations conducted hearings in December, 1979. The plan for the FY 1980 summer jobs program will be submitted to the Subcommittees for review and approval.

11. Quarterly reports are being submitted to the Subcommittees.

The Committee directs that the Department of Human Resources develop a detailed plan for management of Forest Haven that addresses improved services and compliance with medicaid standards. The plan should outline steps to be taken, target dates, and cost estimates for achieving each element of the total effort. The Committee expects this report not later than December 1, 1979.

The Committee urges the Department of Transportation to take steps to inform the public, especially visitors to the Nation's Capital, of the new parking enforcement program.

14.

The Mayor is directed to capture attrition savings from the District of Columbia Council, the District of Columbia Courts, and all city agencies, including independent and statutory agencies. The Committee directs that none of the funds appropriated in this act may be used for commercial contracts to avoid personal ceilings, to avoid salary limitations, or to perform work which during fiscal year 1979 was performed by in-house employees paid by the District of Columbia funds, unless the Mayor seeks the written approval of the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives at least 60 days in advance of such action or contract.

The report was submitted to the Subcommittees on January 23, 1980.

The Department of Transportation has taken steps to inform the public of the new parking enforcement program. Brochures have been posted in D. C., Maryland and Virginia hotels, parking facilities, museums, libraries, and car rental facilities. Signs have been posted on buses and there have been spot announcements on T.V.

The District has complied with this directive.