Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-08
Budget Ready,
Nonresident
Tuition Sought
D. G. Fund Bill to
Be Reported to
House Thursday
BY LANES E. CHM.

Bv JAMES E. CHINN.
A House subcommittee last night
completed work on bill carrying
appropriations to operate the Dis
trict during the fiscal year begin
ming July l, and prepared to recon-
mend to Congress that all children
of non-residents attending the pub
lie schools here be required to pay
tuition.
District taxpayers, it is estimated,
are now paying about s27O,OOO a
year toward the education OF non
resident children, most of whom
come from nearby Maryland and
Virginia.
Indications are the bill will call
for appropriations totaling close to
S55.0O0,000, the largest amount ever
before recommended for operation
of the District government for
l2-month period
Representative Mahon, Democrat,
of Texas, the subcommittee chair
man, said the measure would be re-
ported to the House Thursday and
probably would be passed and sent
to the Senate the same day.
Minor Cuts on Some Items.
At the same time he gave assur-
ance that virtually everything
sought by the Budget Bureau in
both the regular and supplementary
budget estimates would be provided
in the bill He intimated, however,
that minor cuts were made on some
of the items, primarily to keep the
appropriation within anticipated
revenue and at the same time allow
the District comfortable" reserve
cushion to meet any emergency eX-
penses that might arise during the
year. The reserve cushion" is eX-
pected to amount to about 81 ,0000 900
and make unnecessary any increase
in taxes.
Several times in past years efforts
have been made to force non-resi-
dent children to pay tuition in the
District public schools. While the
House has previously approved the
plan, the Senate rejected it. largely
at the insistence of Senator Glass.
Democrat, of Virginia, member of
the Appropriations Committee,
Figures given the House Sub
committee on Appropriations show
there are about $500 children from
nearby Maryland and Virginia at
tending the schools without pay
fr1ent of tuition The only nom
resident children now required to
pay tuition are those Of persons
who do not work in the District.
REPRESENTATIVES of the Washing
ton Board of Trade who appeared
before the subcommittee several
days ago urged that a provision
be written into the new appropria-
ton bill requiring that nonresident
children pay tuition fees.
To Be well Balanced"
Mr.. Mahon declined to indicate
In what items Of the regular ana
supplementary estimates minor cuts
had been made, but he declared
the 1912 budget as it will go to the
House will be well balanced
Although the subcommittee had
been requested to approve funds for
employment of at least 100 addition
al policemen. it is understood, the
bill will provide for an increase of
S. This is five more than called
for in the estimates approved by the
Budget Bureau.
Many of the items in the budget
approved by the subcommittee pro-
vide for increased school, water,
fire. highway and other municipal
services made necessary by the rap
i'd expansion of the city as a result
of the influx here of thousands of
national defense workers.
Conference Called.
Although the new appropriation
bill will not necessitate a tax in
crease, several member of Congress
plan to get together with the Com
missioners at an executive confer
ence Wednesday to discuss a pro-
posal for higher taxes here. The
group. in addition to the Commits
sioners, will be composed Of Mr..
Mahon, Chairman Randolph of the
DlSIIlCl anu
Chairman Hunter of the Fiscal At
fairs Subcommittee of the District
Committee.
Tentative tax increase bills,
drawn up by Corporation Counsel
Richmond B. Keech and the Con-
gressional Legislative Drafting Com
mittee at the request of the House
District Committee, will be before
the group for consideration. Both
of these measures propose an in
crease in the real and personal prop
erty tax rate from Sits to So on
500 of assessed value, an increase
in the local gasoline tax from 2 to
8 cents a gallon and a Federal pay
ment of s8,5O0OOO a year toward
municipal expenses. The present
Federal paVment is sc. 600 600 a wear