Evening star., 1934-04-11
D. c. SUPPLY BILL
his SENT TO HOUSE
i
$32,637, ,082.94 Appropria.
ton Is Carried-U. S.
Share S5,700,000.
(Continued From First .Page.)
the private calendar today instead OF
ut q special session scheduled tonight.
Now Ifems Included

New Items Included.
The bill provides several prof.
ects not sanctioned by the Budget
Bureau, although the total amount
of the appropriations recommended is
$817,761 less than called for in the
original budget estimates. The added
projects include $3.50 900 for build
ing and equipment for the long-pro-
posed Georgetown branch of the Pub
lie Library, and $130,000 for the
construction of new viaduct and
bridge over the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad tracks in the line of Eastern
avenue northeast.
A series of other changes of lesser
importance also were made in the
budget estimates. The committee
increased the item for traffic lights
from $4,000 to 5000, removed the
restriction against the operation of
the new but long inactive high
temperature incinerator in Southeast
Washington, and allowed the Police
Department, $1,000 to install radio
input system in precinct stations and
to further radiovize its scout fleet Of
motor cars.
Aside from the tax-rate reduction.
the committee wrote into the bill a
half dozen other legislative provisions,
all entirely new to District legisla-
ton.
Free Text Books Denied.
One is designed to deny to non
resident pupils in the District public
schools the "free use" of textbooks.
Another will prevent the Police De-
partment from filling an existing
vacancy in the rank of assistant su-
perintendent-a position carrying an
additional compensation of $500 a
year in which a vacancy has existed
since the promotion to the superin-
tendency of Maj. Ernest w. Brown.
A third will force the District ar
bitrarily to cut the rental on privately
owned buildings housing municipal
activities 10 per cent under the rate
paid June 80, 1888.
Another of these legislative provi-
sions, however, authorizes the Com
missioners to use appropriations of
the Highway, Sewer or Water Depart
ments for snow removal Heretofore,
the Commissioners, because of the
lack of a specific snow-removal fund,
have been obliged to incur a de-
ficiency for this work.
The other legislative provision is in
tended to make imperative a pro-
vision in the Federal economy act of
1882, permitting the transfer of funds
from one activity to another. This
restriction reads: mo part of the
funds appropriated in this act for
any activity shall be available for
transfer to any other activity or be-
tween subheads of the same &C
tivity."
Special Limitations.
In addition to the legislative pro-
visions, the bill contains several
special limitations. One reduces the
water rates Is per cent, and at the
same time increases the metered al
lnwance from $500 to 10000 cubic
feet. Another cuts the linear foot
assessment for water mains and
service sewers in half-from $500 to
$3.50, and third limits the advertise
ment of delinquent taxpayers from
four to two times each year.
Whether the half a dozen legisla-
tive provisions, including the arbi-
trary tax reduction remain in the bill
during its consideration by the House
Is problematical. Under House rules,
all legislative provisions attached to
point of order
A provision forbidding the Commis-
sioners from reducing the tax rate
below $1.70, which remained in pre-
vious District appropriation bills for
several years, was eliminated on a
point of order when the 1884 measure
was under consideration in the House.
An attempt at that time to amend
the bill to direct the Commissioners
to reduce the tax levy to $l50 for
the current fiscal year also was blocked
On point Of order which was sus-
tained.
Taxpayer Appeal.
The original estimates, before the
epmmittee Topped off some $500, 900,
we're considered a mere subsistence
budget, but an effort was made to give
i a taxpayer appeal, even at the
sacrifice of improvements which the
Commissioners declared were abso-
mtely essential. For instance, the 80
cent tax-rate reduction is calculated
to save the taxpayers $3,600000 in
the coming fiscal year. The Is per
cent cut in water rates, coupled with
the increase in metered consumption
il designed to save water rent payers
about 100000 year. No estimate
u made as to the prospective saving
because of the reduction in sewer and
vater main extensions, but the COM
charge would represent rate equal
to the cost Of doing the work and
encourage the development of new
subdivisions and the construction of
homes.
The bill carries 81 100000 for un-
employment relief in the coming fiscal
year, the amount approved by the
Budget Bureau, but far under the
revised estimates of the Commission
Gs. In fact, the Commissioners re-
cently sent to the Budget Bureau a
supplemental estimate of s2,700. .000
for relief work in the 1885 fiscal
year, and told the committee during
the budget hearings, the proposed
100000 represented only about one
half of the amount needed and that
Federal agencies would be called on
to make up the balance. The COM
riittee, in its report, however, de-
clares:
1.-THE committee is of the opinion
that the sum of $1,300,000 appro-
priated from District of Columbia
revenues and augmented by alloca-
lions from the F. E. R. A. should
be sufficient for relief needs during
the fiscal year 1885 and that improved
opnditions in the following fiscal yeal
vill permit sharp reduction in this
appropriation. .. p.
Needy Benefiting.
1.-THE committee is aware of the fact
that many hundreds of needy persons
sfe benefiting from these relief funds
and it is also aware of the fact that
there are also many persons who viii
never seek employment while these
finds are available. The committee
fkaroforo oyproccac tho oorVoct hovx