Evening star., 1945-05-30
District Chiefs
To Be Heard on
Budget Changes
$65,o00, 900 Measure
Passed by House
Called Very Good
By DON S. WARREN.

Called Very Good
BY DON S. WARREN.
Municipal officials will be given
an opportunity to suggest changes
in the 1916 District supply bill, as it
was passed yesterday by the House,
before hearings on the SOS 900 900
measure are opened on the Senate
side of the Capitol.
While these officials regard the
bill as very good one" some
changes are expected to be recon-
mended. Among these may be a
readjustment of items dealing with
permanent improvements in the
public school system.
The record of Federal-District re-
lationship in bearing the costs of
the National Capital also is ex-
pected to be brought up-to-date
when the bill is considered in the
Senate. AS the bill left the House
1t continued the lump sum Federal
payment of 100000.
Flscal Report Ordered.
AT the instance of Senator Over
ton, Democrat, of Louisiana, the
senate year ago ordered a new
fiscal relations study and a formal
report on this subject is expected to
be released before the supply bill
reaches the Senate. A fight on this
SUBJECT, however, may be deferred
until later.
The date for Senate hearings has
not been set, yet the customary re-
quest has gone to District officials
to suggest changes in the House bill
deemed necessary.
One of these is expected to deal
with the building funds for the
schools. The House bill. which
slashed school capital improvement
funds by s500,00o. yet authorized an
outlay next year of s2,l08, 900 for
this purpose while also placing q
limit OF s1,608,000 on this work.
Building Chiefs Unperturbed.
Apparently, the House committee
assumed that lf-million-dollar
saving could be effected or that the
program next year could be reduced
by that amount. District building
ofhclals did not seem unduly per-
turbed, some suggesting that a
number of the projects probably
could be started in the next wear
anyway, because of the materials
shortage
The s65 100000 bill-still not con-
tanning some 100000 for boosts in
basic pay for District workers or
Tor continuation of wartime nav
leVels-was passed by the House late
yesterday with but two minor
changes as the measure came from
the District subcommittee headed by
Representative Coffee, Democrat, Of
Washington.
one OF these requires that free
tuition in the public schools be given
to legally adonted children of per-
sons working III the District, though
residing beyond the District boun-
darles, Just as it is given to natural
children of parents in similar domi-
cile circumstances.
This was offered by Representa-
tive Curtis. Republican, of Nebraska.
A second amendment offered by
Chairman Coffee of the District Ap-
preparation Subcommittee. assures
continuation OF the legislated $4,000
salary for Miss Anne Buettner as
registrar of titles and tags in the
department of Vehicles and Traffic.
Coffee Tells of d. C. Plight.
The disfranchised plight of Dis
trlct residents and the relatively
negligible sum" the United States is
paying towards the expense of the.
National Capital were described yes.
terday by Chairman Coffee as de-
bate over the bill was opened in
the House.
On the suffrage question, Mr..
Coffee told the House: Because
District residents have no repre-
sentatives on the floor OF the House
there is a special responsibility on
House members to give most careful
consideration to District appropria-
tions.
Il can see no reason why the
people OF the District should remain
in political vassalage. Boys from
the District fight and die for their
country just as do the boys from
other sections of the country. and
the people here also carry the same
tax burdens"
While describing the $4,000, 900
Federal payment, Mr.. Coffee ex-
planned it would amount next year
to less than 10 per cent of the total
outlay, all the remainder coming
from municipal tax revenues.
Points to Extra Burdens.
In this connection he told the
House there were extra burdens
falling on District residents by reason
OF residing in the National CAPITAL
and among these he cited the zoo.
which he called national in char
acter" although the cost devolved on
District residents. Also, he called
attention to st. Elizabeth's Hospital
where, he said, so per cent of the
costs fell on District taxpayers al
though the city government had no
control over its operations.
During the general debate, Rep.
resentative Case, Republican, of
South Dakota, protested that more
than 40 members of the Police De-
partment were spending half their
time" practicing as members of the
Police Department Band. This he
called strange" in view of the many
vacancies in the police force due to
the manpower shortage. Mainte.
nance costs of the band now are
financed out Of private donations.
Mr.. Case last year blocked House
action on bill to authorize use of
municipal funds for the purpose.
Chairman Coffee said he would
make inquiries about the official
time of policemen devoted to band
service.
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