Evening star., 1937-06-09
CONFEREEST TOFLX
C|TY'S TAX BURDEN
House Bills $6,146,OOO of
Needed Revenue Raised to
$7,500,0OO in Senate.
BY J. A. O'LEARY,

passed by the Senate yesterday, with
It's total raised to s46,60O 900, is on its
way to conference where final decis-
Ions on the amount to be spent next
year will determine the size of the
clty's new tax burden.
When it left the House two months
ago, the bill made necessary S6,l46, 900
. OF new revenue to meet the District s
share of s45, 584 total. The Sen-
ate's net increase calls roughly for
S7,oOO,OOO in new taxation, with
, Chairman Thomas of the Senate Ap-
preparations Subcommittee suggesting
that receipts from existing tax sources
Will have bearing on the ultimate
revenue requirement.
The Senate late yesterday named
the following members to represent it
at the conference table: Senators
Thomas of Oklahoma, Glass of Vir-
ginia, Copeland of New York. King
Of Utah and Nye of North Dakota.
Lump Sum Not an Issue.
The next move will be for Repre-
sentative Ross Collins of Mississippi,
In charge of the bill in the other
branch, TO ask for appointment of
House conferees, but it is not certain
whether that will be done today.
Since both branches have voted to
retain the Federal payment toward
District expenses next year at the
present lump sum figure of IS 900 900,
that question will not be at issue in
conference. The total of the local COM
munity's financial obligation, there
fore, will depend on what agreements
are reached on the various Senate
amendments that added about ST.
100000 to the bill
Ordinarily conferees compromise on
the differences between the two houses,
which would indicate that the amount
that finally will have to be raised
through new taxation will be some
where between the S6,146, 900 deficit
under the House bill and the ST.
100000 deficit under the Senate bill
In passing the measure the Senate
sustained its Appropriations Com
mittee on all except two OF the many
changes recommended in the House
text.
Senate rejected on points of order
were To give the Commissioners
discretionary power to try out auto
mobile parking meters, and to give
the Commissioners custody and su-
pervlsion over the new Police Court
Building on Fifth street.
Health Shift Approved.
Senator Burke, Democrat, of Ne
braska made the point of order that
the parking meter amendment was
legislation on an appropriation bill,
and was sustained. Senator SchWel-
lenbach, Democrat, Of Washington
made similar objection to the Po-
which had the effect of leaving control
of the building with the Police Court
Judges. The issue was whether the
judges or the Commissioners would
control the use of space not required
Immediately for court purposes
The amendment transferring con-
troll over public hospitals from the
Board of Public Welfare to the health
department-one of the major Senate
changes-met with no objection and
was approved without debate In
the House it went out on a point of
order. and becomes one of the main
questions for settlement in confer
ence. 1t gives the health department
supervision over Gallinger Hospital,
the tuberculosis Sanatoria and the
making of contracts for INDECENT
patients in several other hospitals.
The Senate inserted a provision for
the payment Of travelling expenses of
District inspectors, who have been
staging a walking strike" against
disalloWance of payment of cost for
use of their own automobiles in their
work
The bill carries SlO.296 to cover cost
OF use Of private cars by inspectors
assigned to full time field inspection,
allowing 1854 per year per person in
such service. On March Is, about
40 OF the inspectors in engineering
divisions refused longer to pay the
costs of use of their cars in govern
ment service, and have been walking
to job assignments.
Other amendments were approved
on the floor Of the Senate as follows:
Conferrlng power on the Commission
ers to purchase an asphalt plant at
not to exceed 100000, if they see fit;
relieving the Commissioners from the
necessity Of advertising for bids in
newspapers outside of Washington: al
lowing the Court of Appeals SO 600 for
marshals, and liberalizing the power
of the Park and Planning Commission
in making small purchases, and regu-
lating the advertising of the delinquent
tax list.
Other Changes Made.
One effort was made by Senator
Frazier, Republican, of North Dakota
to restore a 100000 reduction the
committee made in the fund to start
construction of a new senior high
school at Fifth and Sheridan streets
northwest, but the Senate sustained
the committee. The item remains at
$350,000, leaving sl,O000OO to be ap-
proprlated later to complete the build
ing
The numerous other changes the
committee had made in House pro-
visions were approved by the Senate,
including: Transferring back to the
Fairgrounds Department Is play
grounds the House put under the Com
munity Center Office; leaving the Dis
trict license office under the assessor
instead of the office of weights and
measures; striking out riders limiting
ala L.,