Evening star., 1937-07-18
If Battle Is Settled in That
Time, Passage of Local
Measures Is Seen.
ACTION TO BE SOUGHT
TUESDAY ON CITY LOAN
House to Be Asked to Enact Bor.
rowing Resolution at To.
morrow's Session.
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

ale battle over the Supreme Court may
decide what Will happen to the Dis
trlcts urgently needed tax bill and to
a variety of other local measures that
have passed the House
If the court fight reaches a climax
and is disposed Of within a short time.
Chairman King Of the District Com
mlttee believes there will be time. not
only for the tax bill, but for some
other local legislation as well before
the sessions end
But regardless of the court struggle.
action Will be sought at the earliest
possible moment on the borrowing
resolution to prevent the District eov.
ernment being left without funds for
operating expenses and pay rolls until
local taxes are due
The House will be asked tomorrov
TO give unanimous consent for the
passage of the borrowing authorize
ton, sponsored by Representative
Kennedy OF Maryland 1t would en-
power the Treasury to advance neces-
sary funds TO the Commissioners. but
IN amended form the city would be
required to pay interest at an undeter-
mined rate, not to exceed per cent.
To Seek Action Tuesday.
If the House passes the measure
tomorrow, Senator King will poll the
Senate District Committee on the
question and try to obtain Senate
action Tuesday. Since the Senate is
IN adjournment instead of recess. the
Supreme Court bill will not be re-
sumed as the unfinished business un-
til 2 o'clock Tuesday This will leave
two hours, starting at noon, for other
business
Senator King made known vester.
day that he is not in favor of reuulr-
ing the District to pay interest on
these funUS to be advanced by the
! Treasury, only until local tax revenues
begin to flow in. In view of the clty's
/ financial situation, however ne indl-
! Gated he could not carry his opposi-
ton to the point of preventing pass
/ age of the measure.
! While passage of the borrowing
| provision will relieve the citys imme-
! diate predlcament, 1t will not lessen
! materially the need for speedy COM
| pletlon of the tax bill The reason is
that the real estate and tangible per-
| sonal property levy is one of the
! main issues in that measure, and
! should the bill die. the Commission
ers would be forced to meet the en-
| tire s7,000,000 deficit by increasing
the rate on property. This would mean
| raising it from $3.50 TO s2lO. or a
boost of 40 per cent. They have ad-
vised Congress they would regard that
development as Cumbersome. onerous
and unfair to property owners"
Land Tax Fight Seen.
Property owners already carry the
major part of the city's annual tax
load. In the pending bill the House
| voted to raise the rate to Sl70. The
| Senate committee substituted a dras-
tic new system Of property taxation
by proposing that land-improved or
unlmproved-be taxed at $3.50 per
| hundred, retaining the present Sl.50
rate on buildings. This would take
s4800,000 of the s7000,0Oo deficit
from property owners The land tax
plan is expected to meet opposition
in the Senate, however. and in con-
ference if the Senat adopts it.
There are other differences between
the two branches over whether to
adopt a luxury sales tax or a modified
business privilege tax on gross re-
ceipts. 1t is believed, however, that
conferees will be able TO work out
compromise agreement, if the bill
| can be brought to vote in the
| Senate and sent to conference.
Even if there is no break in the
court fight Senator King still hopes to
have day or part Of day allotted to
the tax bill by unanimous consent.
| In addition to the effect Of the
court debate on local legislation.
there also is a possibility of a change
in the Craftsmanship of the District
Committee if Senator Harrison OF
Mississippi is chosen to succeed the
late Senator Robinson as Democratic
| leader.
Other Bills in Danger.
Harrison is chairman of the i'm
| portant Finance Committee, and if he
| should win the leadership and give up
| that committee post Senator King
would be next in line for elevation
to the finance Craftsmanship. Senator
King is understood to be of the
opinion. however, that there would be
fnr t1
give up the finance post in the event
he becomes leader.
While public interest has been
| centered on the tax bill in recent
weeks, there are other local measures
| that would stand chance for enact
ment If the court issue should be
sidetracked soon
Four of these bills that have re-
ceived House approval include: The
proposed new code for the Juvenile
Court; the plan to regulate and license
real estate brokers and statesmen: the
measure to require taxicab operators
to carry insurance, and the bill to
regulate operation of beauty parlors.
The Juvenile Court measure has been
reported fayorably from Senate COM
mittee and is awaiting action on the
| floor The other bills mentioned still
require Senate committee action.
Senator King said yesterday the TAXI
cab Insurance bill would require bear
Sings before it iS acted on.
There are also a number OF bills
passed by the Senate. but still pend
ing at the other end Of the Capitol.
These include the proposal to put
more teeth in the laws against
gambling; the bill to include the Dis
trict in Federal-aid highway allot-
ments received by the rest Of the
country, and a measure to broaden
the scope Of the automobile safety
responsibility ev.