Evening star., 1946-07-09
West 10 Explore
D. {. Tax Aid for
Hospital Center
Issue of Funds to
Help Build Project
Raised in Committee

'SiP OuiIo IIOJS]t
Raised in Committee
Corporation counsel Vernon West
has been asked by the House District
Committee to explore the possibility
OF raising some taxes to help finance
the proposed hospital center author
lied by the Senate-passed Tydings
bill.
The request resulted after con-
sideration yesterday by the COM
mittee of the financial phases of the
measure, Chairman Mcmillan ex-
planned. AS it passed the Senate
the bill provides for Federal aid to
construct 1,500-bed hospital, in
which would be incorporated at least
three. perhaps more, District insti-
tutions for the sick. Those already
committed to the center are Emer-
gency, Garfield and Episcopal Hos
pitals.
The bill probably will come before
the committee again at a meeting
tentatively scheduled for 10 am
Friday.
D. c. Heads Oppose Funds.
The District Commissioners have
taken the position that no tax funds
from the municipality should be
used to help build the center. II
is understood they feel that the
District government makes a sub
stantial contribution to the sick here
through support of Gallinger Hos
pital. and by contributing heavily
to st. Elizabeth's Hospital for care
of patients there. Also, the loss OF
70 or 80 acres of taxable land to the
tax-free hospital center would be
considered another substantial con-
tribution on the part of the city
it Is felt.
Financial provisions of the pend.
ing measure have been under dis.
cuSslon for many months. Under
the latest agreement reached be.
tween the hospitals and hackers Of
the Tydings bill, it was understood
the hospitals had pledged their en-.
tire physical assets toward the eX.
pense OF the center, hoping that tht
Federal Government would provide
the remainder of the cost, estimated
somewhere around $20,000,OO0.
Issue Raised in Committee.
Representative Dirksen, Repub.
llcan, OF Illinois, who long has ex
pressed the conviction the Distric
government should share a part o.
the cost of such a center, raised tht
subject again at the executive ses.
sion of the committee. 1t was fell
by the committee that the bill nigh
have difficulty getting House ap.
proval without some contribution O.
tax funds from the District.
The Tydings bill has been ap.
proved by Maj. Gen. Philip B
Fleming, administrator of the Fed.
eral Works Agency. In a letter tt
the House District Committee HI
expressed the belief that on account
Of the unique position" of the Ma.
tional Capital, the city require.
special treatment as to hospitals.
The FWA has advanced fund!
toward construction of both the new
George Washington University anc
Georgetown University Hospitals
These funds came under authorit,
Of the Lanham Act, for providing
needed community facilities through
out the country.
Now Heads Tax Study.
Mr. West is chairman of a specia
committee Of the District govern
ment charged with studying the ia,
structure with a view to raising ad
ditional taxes for postwar needs
Among the possible revenue source
understood to have been considered
by the District Committee was 4,
sales tax.
Other bills which may come uI
before the committee Friday include
one to prevent erection of televisior
towers in the vicinity of Fortieth ant
Brandywine streets NV. and an
other to take away from the YMCi
management of Southeastern Uni
versity and give it to a special boare
of directors
The committee meeting was mad,
tentatively for Friday, with pros
poets it might be held Monday in
stead.