Evening star., 1942-04-21
Drastic cCuts
In DC. Budget
Asked by Lusk
House Group Begins
Marking Up Bill for
Record ALLEGATIONS

hAbcI Bt@i LLh All rdA Ailfob ptCd Fc,-
terday for drastic cuts in the Dis
trict budget. an appropriations sub
committee OF the House today began
marking up q bill providing record
ALLEGATIONS to meet the war emer-
eency demands OF the National
Capital.
The appeal for reductions was
made by Rufus s. Lusk. president OF
the Washington Taxpayers Asso-
cistion. who said there is a ''prac-
tical certainty" Of an increase of
between $1,000 900 and s8.000.00o in
local taxes for the period beginning
July /. i943.
Chairman Mahon and Represent
ative Stefan OF Nebraska. ranking
Republican member of the subcom-
mittee, applauded the fact that the
revised estimates on which they are
working today represent the best
up-to-date District budget ever Of
fered. This, they explained, Is be-
cause many projected improvements
have been eliminated and only the
vital to victory items and those
absolutely essential to meet the
rapidly changing war emergency
conditions have been retained.
Many Projects Left Out.
Many improvements were aban-
doned voluntarily by District off,
cials, the subcommittee members
reported. They pointed out that
drive is under way to curb every
thing that would result in increased
local taxes at time when the Fed
eral Government is preparing to tap
all available sources of revenue in
which District taxes might conflict.
Both Chairman Mahon and Rep
resentative Stefan commended the
cooperation of District officials.
They pointed out that the Com
missioners and DR.. Frank w. Bal
lou, superintendent OF schools, had
agreed to withdraw sl,000,000 al
ready available for school construc-
tion: that Capt. II. C. Whitehurst,
director of highways, had withdrawn
scheduled items for ID street i'm
provement projects, because even
with the increased gasoline tax the
highway fund will be short of the
anticipated revenue, due to gasoline
rationing Highway authorities,
they said, are concentrating on ap-
proaches to essential war establish
ments, such as the new South Capt.
tol street bridge and access roads
and super highways for the relief
OF traffic essential TO the war effort.
The subcommittee today discussed
financing Of the program of physical
development in high schools. as rec
commended by the War Department,
that the youth may be "toughened
up" for military service. The ap-
preparation bill probably will include
funds, not requested In the budget,
TO support this effort.
Lusk Sees Revenue. Fall.
Mr.. Lusk, speaking for the tax
payers before the subcommittee late
yesterday, emphasized that revenues
will diminish. although they prob
ably will balance the budget. He
said there will be a gradual falling
of in taxes from many businesses,
such as automobile. tires, hardware,
radios. furniture, lumber, building
materials and fuel.
Mr.. Uusk estimated that for the
1914 fiscal year. beginning July /,
l943, taxes will decline upwards of
sT,647, 900. His estimates are: Gaso-
line tax reductions (75 per cent un-
der the i943 stimates)-$5, $40, 900;
personal motor vehicles tax Us per
cent less than the l943), s750,000;
corporations income tax (25 per cent
under 1s43l, $625 900; income tax
(25 per cent under the l943l-S500,-
600, and tangible tax (25 per cent
under the l943)-$462, 900.
Mr.. Lusk presented a table show
ing that l61 wholesale establish
ments will have a very heavy de-
cline, and that 1871 retail establish
ments viii suffer even more
Asks 4S-Hour Work Week.
He told the subcommittee that a
4S-hour week should be imposed at
once and a 54-hour week later. He
said all leaves should be reduced TO
IA days. With the exception Of
police and firemen and school teach
ers this plan should be applied to
the entire District government and
thus $4,000 600 to $S,000,000 a year
could be saved, he said
Mr.. Lusk suggested that the fol-
lowing items in the budget might
be eliminated. New school buildings
or completion of those now under
construction. Sl,66l 900; public as
sistance, $3.50 900; street paving and
repairing, S440.900; streets, widen
ing and altering, s40l 900; purchase
Of park land by the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commission,
$4,000; new Public Library build
ing. S22S. 900. and w. P. A sponsors
contribution, Sl55. .ooo-making a
total of s4-036,575.
Chairman Mahon and Representa-
tive Stefan also commended the
policy of building up a substantial
invested surplus for the water sery-
ice of approximately Sl,750,000 to
meet future needs of the Capital
They indicated today that a sub
stantial part of these investments
will be "caShed in" to provide an
adequate filtered-water supply for
the Capital and Arlington County
(unSer coIatractl to meet war needs.
Per Diem Wage Boost Urged.
To provide desperately needed
wage increase of 10 cents an hour
for the $500 per diem employees of
the District government, an appro-
pristion of $4,000 was urged before