Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-27


vote, today passed the District
appropriation bill containing
the fifty-ffty plan of financing
the District and the Jones taxa
ton amendment.
/ Without dissenting vote the Sem
| ate today restored the half-and-haif
plan of appropriating for the District
to the District appropriation bill.
The Senate also adopted the So
called Jones amendment, which does
! away with the existing limitation
upon the estimates of appropriations
which may be submitted to Congress
by the District Commissioners The
Jones amendment also authorizes the
expenditure, under the half-and- hal
plan, of any surplus of District reve-
nues which may have accrued in the
past. or which shall develop in the
future.
Flexible Tax Rate Approved.
The so-called flexible tax rate pro-
vided for in the Jones amendment
| was approved also. The provision n
as follows:
Hereafter the so per cent of an
proved estimates to be levied and as
sessed under the act Of June IL. 1873.
upon the taxable property and privi-
| leges in said District. shall be raised
by the imposition of such rate of
I taxation on realty and tangible and
Intangible personal property as the
Commissioners shaf ascertain will be
necessary to raise annually. in COM
bInation with other District tax rev.
enues and unexpended tax surpluses
OF previous years, a sum sufficient to
met the proportion Of expense to he
paid by the District of Columbia un-
der said act of June IL. 1878"
On motion of Senator Curtis a pro-
viso that the present tax rate shall
continue in force until on formal re-
port OF the Commissioners, as above
provided, it shall be changed" was
stricken out.
The Senate then proceeded to adopt,
practically without debate, the
amendment contained in the report
OF the senate appropriations commit.
tee The committee amendments re.
lating to street improvements and
repairs were adopted without change
An amendment authorizing the COM
miSsioners to close upper Water street.
between z1st and 22d streets northvest,
was adopted. This amendmenk a,athoz.
ICES the Commissioners to transfer the
land in the bed Of the street to the
Chief of Engineers, u g. A., Is a part
Of the park system Of the District
Another amendment adopted au-
thorizes the Commissioners to close
that portion of Rock Creek Ford road
lying between Broad Branch road and
Rittenhouse street, upon the appli-
cation in writing Of the owner or
owners of property abutting on the
road between the limits named. and
upon the closing of the road the
land embraced therein is to revert to
the owners of the abutting property.
The committee amendments equaliz-
ing the pay of the two assistant su-
perintendents of public schools, pro-
viding additional teachers and appro-
priating $4,000 for the teachers re-
tirement fund were all adopted.
school Building Appropriations.
The committee amendments relating
to the public school buildings appro-
priations were adopted without de-
bate. The appropriation for the house
OF detention was increased to 334.940,
Senator Curtis offering the amend
ment as A committee amendment
The District Commi ssioners are au-
thoriZed. under committee amend
ment adopted by the Senate. to enter
into a contract or contracts for the
construction of the Gallinger Munici-
pal Hospital and accessory buildinea
in accordance with approved plans at
a limit of cost not to exceed 81, 500, 600