Evening star., 1934-04-13
Would Maintain D. c. Rate
to Assure Various
Projects.
FRIENDS OF DISTRICT
MAP FIGHT FOR TUESDAY
Consideration of Supply Bill Is
1-1-
Postponed by Cannon's
Illness.

In view of the various improve
ment projects the District is in need
of at the present time, it would. be
inadvisable to reduce the tax rate
for the coming fiscal year, in the
opinion of Senator King, Senate Dis
trict Committee chairman.
He has not had time to study In
detail the 1885 District supply bill,
but said today his present view is it
would be better to leave the tax rate
undisturbed so the District would be
in a position to meet its share of
providing for urgently needed projects.
In reporting the District bill to the
House Wednesday the House Appro-
priations Committee recommended a
cut in the tax rate from 1.50 to I20
per 500, in lieu of appropriating
several million dollars more that
would be available under the $3.50
rate. ~
p. w. A. Funds Sought. -
Pointing out that the Commission
ers are trying now to devise, plans
under which they could obtain funds
from the Public Works Administra-
ton, 80 per cent in the form Of an
outright grant and 10 per cent on a
loan basis. for various improvement
projects, the Senator indicated he
thought the District should be pre-
pared to meet its part.
The proposed funds are to be sought
for the Municipal Center, a sewage
disposal plant, additional municipal
hospital facilities and school buildings.
As chairman Of the Senate District
Committee, Senator King is an ex.
ofhcio member of the Senate subcom-
mittee on District appropriations.
Consideration of the bill was post.
poned in the House again today, due
to the continued absence of Chair
man Cannon of the subcommittee on
appropriations, who will have charge
Of the measure on the floor, and in
dications are it will not be called up
before Tuesday.
Receivers Slowly.
Recovering slowly from injuries re-
ceived IN an automobile accident,
Cannon is not expected to return
until Monday, but on that day House
leaders have planned to call UP the
consent calendar, which will sidetrack
the District bill for at least another
day. Majority Leader Byrns, how
ever, said the program might be re-
arranged to give the District measure
the right Of way Monday.
In the meantime, members of the
House sympathetically inclined to-
ward the District made preparations
to fight for restoration of a number
of the items the appropriations sub
committee eliminated from the orig
inal budget estimates. 80
Otter Leads Fight.
The battle will center chiefly on
the legislative provision making man
datory a reduction in the tax rate
from $3.50 to $l.20. This cut, it has
been pointed out, will reduce the
Districts revenues by $500 600 in
the coming fiscal year, and make i'm
possible some Of the improvements
the Commissioners have held to be
urgently needed. ,.l
Representative Otter, Republican,
OF Pennsylvania, will take the lead In
the fight. t'F
Otter plans to raise a point of
order against the tax rate provision
and expects it to be sustained, In view
OF House rules which preclude legis-
lative riders on appropriation bills.
Otter also will make a determined
fight to have the House restore the 40
per cent cut in the appropriation for
the Public Utilities Commission as
well as some of the less severe siashes
In school and departmental estimates.
Sees Consumer Penalized.
"a reduction in the appropriation
for the Public Utilities Commission, I"
Otter declared. would penalize the
consuming public rather than the
commission. IS
'I have made study Of the record
OF the commission since I have been
in Washington and I can find no
reason for slashing its appropriation.
The big question now, however, Is
whether the consumers are to be made
to suffer because the activities OF the
commission are crippled by inadequate
funds" W
Otter defended William A. Roberts.
special counsel for the commission,
who was criticized by Representative
Blanton, Democrat, Of Texas, during
the subcommittee hearings on the
budget estimates. n. n
a.