Evening star., 1935-12-25
KING TO DISCUSS
D, c. LEGISLATION
At NEXT SESSION
Senate Committee Chair
man Calls Conference To-
morrow With City Heads.
PUBLIC HEARING PLAN
ON NEEDS APPROVED
Says Discussion of How Much to
Spend on Improvements
Will Aid Tax Bills.
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

Chairman King of the Senate Dis
trict Committee will begin conferences
with the Commissioners tomorrow on
the local legislative program for the
coming session of Congress, he an
nounced on his arrival from Utah to-
day.
The decision of the Commissioners
to hold public hearing to get the
views of local residents on how much
should be spent for municipal I'M
proyements in the immediate future,
before drafting new tax bills. met with
the approval of Senator King.
1T is a good plan to sound out pub
lie Opinion on important questions,
said the Senator THAT is why have
followed the policy Of holding open
forum meetings of the Senate Com
mittee from time to time"
Will Consider Bills.
The Senator said that if the city
heads have any other bills that are
ready for congressional consideration
he will call meeting of his commit
tee as soon as the members return to
the city.
The Commissioners few days ago
began shaping their legislative pro-
gram by approving four measures, in
cluding a new small-loan control bill.
Among other proposals still awaiting
deliberation by the Board of Commis-
sioners is Commissioner Aliens bill to
enable District residents to express
their views on important municipal
questions by holding advisory refer
enda from time to time. Aliens plan
would not deprive Congress or the
Commissioners of the powers they now
possess but would offer a city wide test
Of sentiment on any major issue.
Study Private Pensions.
In addition to plunging Immediately
into a study of local affairs, Senator
King also plans to resume work with
out delay on the private pension
amendment to the national social Sc
curity law. The Utah Senator is head
OF q Joint House and Senate subcom-
mittee appointed just before adjourn
ment to devise plan under which
private retirement systems could be
exempted from the Federal old-age
annuity plan, if the private systems
are found to be equal to or more bene-
fetal than the Government plan.
Senator King probably will confer be-
fore Congress meets with the actuaries
who were assigned to gather data on
the pension subject during the recess.
The decision of the Commissioners
to hold hearings before drafting any
new District taxation follows a pre-
lininary recommendation of the Dis
trict Building Tax Committee, headed
by Corporation Counsel Prettyman.
The hearing is expected to develop the
views of local taxpayers on what they
believe should be the average annual
outlay for new Improvements and for
running expenses Of the local govern
ment during the next decade.
Federal Share Vital.
Local civic leaders also have en-,
phasized that the question of the
future Federal share toward main
tenance of the National Capital is
inSeparably related to the question of
local taxation. Under the lump-Sum
plan of fixing the Federal payment
during the past II years the local
community's share of maintaining the
city has been increasing steadily, while
the Federal share has been going
down.
At present local taxpayers are meet
ing about IS per cent of the total
annual appropriation. Commissioner
Hazen announced recently he would
try to work out solution Of the
fiscal relations problem.