Evening star., 1946-06-11
SenateUnitAsks
Federal Share
Of 1917 for DC.
Fund Group Urges
a Million More for
Next Fiscal Year
By Don S. Worren

The Senate Appropriations
. Committee today threw its sup
port behind legislative proposals
for a land-based formula under
which the $6,000,O0O lump sum
Federal payment would be near
ly doubled, as it approved and
sent to the Senate a record
breaking $79,472,962 District
supply bill for the new fiscal
year.
Pending action on this legislation,
the committee gave full indorse-
ment to the proposal of the O'Ma-
honey subcommittee for an imme-
diate $4,000,000 increase in the Fed
eral payment. For technical rea-
sons, the supply bill as reported
carries the usual $6,0OOo00 payment,
but Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat,
of Wyoming, subcommittee chair
man, will move to raise this to
$10,000,000 when the bill comes up
for action.
Placing before. Congress the ques-
ton of the size of the Federal share
OF costs on a permanent basis,
Chairman O'Mahoney today intro
duced bill to regulate the Fed
eral payment annually in keeping
with formula based on the extent
of tax-eXempt land holdings here.
This would call for a Federal pay
ment amounting to 10 per cent of
the Districts total revenues of the
preceding fiscal year.
Chairman OMahoney was joined
in sponsoring the bill by Senator
Overton, Democrat, of Louisiana.
To Go to District Committee.
This legislation will be referred to
the Senate District Committee for
action.
The bill wass reported without
change as it came from the O'Ma-
honey subcommittee Because of the
convincing showing of needs con-
sidered critical by the subcommit-
tee. it calls for heavy increases over
the House totals for public schools,
for Gallinger Hospital and other
agencies of the Health Department,
for the water supply system and
numerous other municipal services
The total, however, still is more
than 100000 below the $81 sos 900
budget request submitted by the
Commissioners and the Budget Bu-
reau. The House had made a slash
OF nearly $4,000 from the budget
estimates because of fears of rev.
enue crisis after the year beginning
July l and desire to restrict con-
struction due to the veterans hous-
ing program.
The O'Mahoney subcommittee de-
ferred many proposed construction
projects but found an increase in
the Federal payment was more justi-
fled than to deprive the District of
urgent service needs.
On the revenue question, the COM
mittee named by the Commissioners
now is concluding its study of fund
needs and tax proposals which, if
all were adopted, would bring in
s15,000,0O0 to $4,000 900 additional.
Survey Report Released.
The full committee in it's actions
today also indorsed and released
the fiscal relations survey report
submitted last year by three expert
consultants of the O'Mahoney SUBJ
committee. John F. Feeney. Harold
E. Merrick and Thomas j. Scott,
who were assisted by Earl w.
Cooper of the committees staff.
The OMahoney subcommittee
stated:
Under the formula the Federal
Government would contribute 10
per cent of the revenues of the last
complete fiscal year, exclusive of
the Federal contribution and trust
funds, toward the expenses of the
District. and this percentage would
be applied to the total of the rev.
enues in the general fund, the high
way fund and the water fund.
"The resulting sum would then be
divided pro rata among the three
funds. Based on revenue figures for
the fiscal year 1945, the last COM
plete fiscal year, the Federal contri-
button under the bill would amount
(See D. C. BILL, Page Aid