Evening star., 1941-03-29
Committee Due
To Act Mondav
On 0verton Bill
Subcommittee O. K.
Sends Formula to
RondoIph's D. c. Unit

All members of the House District
Committee were urged today by
Chairman Randolph to attend reg
ularly scheduled meeting Monday at
which action is expected to be
taken on the Senate-approved Over
ton bill providing formula for a
more equitable payment toward
municipal expenses here.
THE Overton bill is so important
want a quorum present when the
committee considers it, Represen-
tative Randolph declared
There are now 20 members of the
committee and one vacancy. The
presence of II would constitute a
quorum.
Action of the Fiscal Affairs SUBJ
committee yesterday afternoon in
ordering a favorable report on the
bill paved the way for full COM
mittee consideration Monday. 1t is
estimated that adoption of the Over
ton formula would increase the
present annual s6,00000O lump sum
Federal payment to the District to
approximately SO 1000 900 in the COM
ing fiscal year beginning July l.
May Reach April IA Calendar.
The formula would, after certain
deductions, base the National Gov
ernment'S share of municipal ex-
penses on the ratio of Federal tax
exempt acreage to the total land
area of the District.
Full committee approval of the
bill would place it on the House
calendar in time for consideration
April IA, the next District day. That
has been the goal of Representa-
tive Hunter, Democrat, of Ohio,
chairman of the fiscal affairs SUBJ
committee who sponsored the Over
ton plan in the House.
Mr.. Hunters subcommittee ordered
favorable report on the bill
shortly after conclusion of a series
of public hearings yesterday morn
ing.
Approved to l.
Subcommittee approval. 1t is
understood, came with a 3 to vote
with Representative Bates, Re
publican. of Massachusetts, casting
the only negative ballot. He has
threatened to oppose the bill on
the House floor.
The three affirmative votes, it
was said, were those of Representa-
tives Hunter, Hebert of Louisiana
and McGehee of Mississippi, Demo-
Gratis. Mr.. McGehee was absent
and Mr.. Hunter held his proxy.
The only other absentee was Rep
resentative Dirksen. Republican, of
designed as substitute for the
Overton plan. His measure would
create 2 Federal board of tax ap-
praisers to furnish Congress with
data as to the value of United
States owned property here which
could be used as guide to fixing
the amount of the annual payment
of the national Government toward
municipal expenses.
Mr.. Dirksen, however, left no
proxy and Mr.. McGehee is under
stood to have reserved the right to
oppose the Overton bill on the House
floor.
Dirksen Plan Criticized.
It had been planned by Mr. Hunt
er to give Mr.. Dirksen an oppor-
tunity to explain his bill in detail
at the final hearing on the Overton
plan, but he failed to make an
appearance However, several of the
witnesses who indorSed the Overton
bill expressed the opinion, when
questioned, the Dirksen plan would
not provide a satisfactory solution
to the troublesome fiscal relations
problem.
For instance. William H. Press,
executive secretary of the WASH
ington Board of Trade, said he did
not believe the Dirksen plan would
meet the important points" of the
Overton formula. He emphasized
tiidt Vic vi SdlllHdI Iioil lldQ ilOG SCt
taken any stand on the DirkSen
bill
Mrs. Joseph Lowe of the Voteless
District League of Women Voters
told the subcommittee she believed
the Dirksen plan would open up
new controversy with respect to
the fiscal relations problem. Her
organization, like the trade board.
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association and the District Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs. gave the