Evening star., 1938-02-20
DC. BILL HEARINGS
NEAR CONCLUSION;
REPORT DUE SOON
Measure Likely to Reach
Senate Floor by End
of This Week.
INCREASE IN DEFICIT
APPEARS PROBABLE
Request of Commissioners to Put
Lighting Charge on General
Fund May Be Followed.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

BY j. A. O'LEARY.
The 1889 District appropriation bill
probably will be ready to report to
the Senate by the end of this week,
after several more days of hearings,
starting at 10 am. tomorrow.
Although no decisions will be reached
until the hearings close, about We'd
nesday. indications are the House
measure will be materially changed in
detailed provisions. While Chairman
Thomas, Democrat. of Oklahoma, is
anxious to, hold the total down, in
view Of the city's tax situation, it ap-
pears likely the revised measure will
increase the expected deficit to be
met by added taxation.
Under the House bill the deficit,
necessitating the pending tax bill. was
about $2,000,000 in the general fund
The Senate subcommittee. it is be-
lieved, will follow the request of the
Commissioners to have street lighting
charged to the general fund, which
would add s765,00O to the deficit in
that fund. The House turned down a
move to transfer lighting to the high
way fund. on the ground it would con-
stitute diversion of that fund. and
similar opposition has developed in
the Senate hearings.
May Restore Other Cuts.
There also are signs the Senate may
restore some of the House reductions
In budget estimates for other general
fund items
If the $765.O00 for street lighting is
charged to the general fund, as now
seems probable, there is more ikeli-
hood OF the $650,00O being restored
under the highway fund to start the
new Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge.
southeast. since there would be ample
balance in that fund to cover the
bridge item.
Chairman Thomas has indicated he
may urge postponement of the Dupont
and Thomas Circle traf1ic underpasses,
which call for $4,000 and $3.50. 900,
respectively. II they should be elimi-
mated there would be large balance in
the highway fund. which. under ex-
listing law can be spent only for speci-
fed purposes relating to highways and
trafiic administration.
One of the remaining days Of hear
ings will be devoted to discussion of
whether the 100000 allotment for
unemployment relief in the House bill
should be increased. A number of
organiza tions and civic 7groups are
expected to take part in that hearing
Training School May Be Kept.
It is believed the Senate subcom-
mittee will provide for continued oper-
alton Of the National Training School
for Girls and the Children's Receiving
Home. The House bill contemplated
housing the training school inmates
at the Lorton Reformatory and send
ing children to the house OF detention
instead of the receiving home.
1t also is probable the Senate will
approve the supplemental estimate for
q new 100000 city reservoir, to be To-
Gated in the Soldiers Home Grounds,
since the bill as passed by the House
4cAV AloIC eA1A1i u SuAS4SAAt OnlSASC AA
the separate water revenue fund for
this project. Officials were not ready
to submit the reservoir estimate until
the House had acted
As the bill passed the House it car
ried . total of approximately $45,-
076,0000, covering all three funds
general, highway and water. To this
must be added, however, the $765, 900
for street lighting. which was left out
entirely when the House declined to
approve its transfer to the highway
fund. What the total will be when
the bill Is reported to the Senate will
depend, however, on a number OF
other proposed increases and decreases
being considered.