Evening star., 1936-05-01
SCHOOL EXPANSION.
HELD DUE TO BRING.
TAX RISE OR BONDS.
Commissioners Cite Need
for Revenue to Push Five.
Year Program.
DETAILED ESTIMATES
OF COSTS ARE SOUGHT
Plan Calls for Purchase of "A
Parcels of Land, Construction
of "a Buildings.
BY DON S. WARREN.


Tax increases or fiotation of bond
issue appear to the Commissioners TO
be impending if Congress is to ap-
prove a five-year school expansion
program. estimated roughly to cost
s25 ,000. 600
Announcement to this effect was
made today by Commissioner Melvin
c. Hazen after he and other District
officials had listened for two hours to
pleas by school authorities for a new
f1ve-year building program. including
purchase of A parcels of land. con-
struction of "a new school buildings
and enlargement of IS existing struc-
lures.
Commissioners Hazen and Daniel l.
Sultan we're convinced of the need for
the new program, but delayed action
on the specific land proposed by the
Board of Education to await more de-
tailed estimates of costs and study of
possible means of financing.
Urge Prompt Action.
Board of Education members and
the official staff of the school system
urged the city heads to act promptly
and send their plan to the Budget
Bureau so Congress might authorized
the program at this session.
Hazen. Sultan, Budget Director
Daniel j. Donovan and Acting Corpo-
ration Counsel Vernon E. West all
declared there was very slim
chance" of any action at this session.
Hazens said he favored making
separate proposal out of the school
building plan rather than to lncor-
porate it in a District development
program for S or 10 years, Which
Hazen has directed the District Tax
Committee to prepare for considera-
tion next session. Hazen previously
lad indicated the school needs would
be considered along with others.
The Commissioners said school Of
flcialS had asked that portion of
District tax revenues be .earmarked
separately for the school building
program. The Commissioners we're
not convinced that would settle the
question at all.
Estimates Required.
I'VE cannot send a five.yesr build
ing program to the Budget Bureau or
to Congress without showing more
accurately the estimated costs and.
more important. proposed means of
financing plans" Hazen said.
Even if the Federal payment toward
the National Capital expenses was
not reduced below the present S., 5,70O,-
600. and even though the real estate
tax rate were raised from sl.50 to
sl.70, We would still not have enough
money" he continued. Maj. Donovan
voiced the same view.
1T appears that if the need is
for a program costing s25,000,0 900
over five years, there must be an in
crease in District revenues" Hazen
continued. Schools now are getting
million dollars for expenses and
under this program, about $4,000, 900
more would be required.
Without an increase in the Federal
payment. it, therefore. appears that a
long-term bond issue would be needed
if existing taxes were not increased or
new forms of taxation adopted"
Committee to Study Plan.
The Tax Committee, now headed by
Acting Corporation Counsel Vernon
West, will be directed to study the
problem. Last Summer it was created
to report on proposals for a boost in
utility taxation, proposed increase IN
the gasoline tax to 8 cents, adoption
of an automobile weight tax, adoption
of an inheritance tax and other sug-
gestions.
District building officials empha-
sized that they must consider rot only
the cost of purchase of more land and
the proposed construction projects, but
also the increased maintenapce costs
resulting from the consequent need for
more teachers and other school work.
ers and the care Of the properties.
They said the school authorities
had made a strong case of their needs,
but the city heads did not pass judg-
ment at the time on the size of the
program.