Evening star., 1947-01-10
District Budget
II Million Above
Current Figure
F. e5 Million Requested;
8 New or Increased
Taxes Are Proposed
By John W. Thompson, Jr.

by John W. thompson, Jr.
President Truman today asked
a thrift-seeking opposition Con-
gress to appropriate $95,082 500
to finance the District govern
ment through the year begin
ming July l.
The District budget-transmitted
as a part of the annual Federal bud
gets almost 14,000,0O0 above the
record high estimates he sent to
Congress at this time last year and
S17,840,645 more than the members
actually appropriated for the cur
rent year.
It also exceeds expected income
from present taxes. Partial sale of
invested surplus securities and the
current Federal payment by some
SIT 100000.
To prevent this deficit and bal
ance the budget, the President said,
the Commissioners have proposed
eight new or increased taxes, includ-
ing sales tax. They also propose
charging the Federal and District
Governments for the water they
use and making up the remainder
less than 0,000-by a Federal
loan.
O'Mahoney Formula Left Out.
Unless Congress enacts these
suggestions, the
President continued, stable part
OF the budget requests will have to
be cut. If it does enact the pro-
gram, the average mans tax bill will
go up and many who have been es-
Gaping local levies in one way or an
other will begin paying.
Nowhere among the money-rais-
ing proposals was the so-called
O'Mahoney formula for a more
equitable annual Federal payment
to District expenses. 1t is UNDER
stood District officials tried vainly
to incorporate the formula as the
first item in the budget balancing
program.
Despite Mr.. Truman's recent re-
iterated Endorsement of the formula,
the Budget Bureau apparently re-
fused to permit it's inclusion. The
formula would relate the Federal
payment to the percentage which
Government tax-exempt land hold
ings bear to the total city acreage.
Applied to current city income IL
would add about $4,000,000 to the
present Federal lump-sum payment
of s8,000,000.
The financing plan does include
the sale of 81 100000 worth OF secur-
tiles but still leaves the city with
a reserve of s3,700,000 in invested
,,|
It was indicated the reserve could
be thrown into the breach in event
of failure of part of the tax pro-
gram to receive congressional ap-
proval.
$4,000, 900 More to Be Asked.
A major disclosure in the Presi-
dents budget also was that the city
expects to ask the new Congress
for additional funds Tor the
current fiscal year amounting TO
s8 .238, 1894 Most of this results from
pay increases authorized by the last
session after passage OF the pudgeI.
If supplements are approved, ap-
preparations for the current year are
expected to Jump from the present
s77 241.855 to above the $85, 900
mark, slightly Ness than $10,0OO,OOO
below the new 194S proposals OF
today.
The significance of the provisions
in the giant budget varies:
To the community as a whole they
will mean major improvements IN
public services the average man
takes for granted and there
fore probably would not notice-the
water system, sewers, sewage treat
ment and disposal, and police pro-
lection.
For Rebuilding Wharves.
While much of the 1926, 400
worth of new construction called
for will thus be tucked underground
or in obscure corners of 'the city
like Dalecarlia reservoir, others Will
be out where they can be seen.
The wharves of the municipal fsn
market on Maine avenue S.W. Will
be rebuilt at a cost OF $ll2,0Oo.
Completion of the South Capitol
street bridge across the Anacostla
is included. Work will go forward
on the twin bridge replacement
for the old Highway Bridge over the
Potomac. The Dupont Circle Un-
derpass. the K street elevated from
Rock Greek to Key Bridge, and
part of the proposed K street de-
pressed freeway are due to get
under way. All the highway con-
struction items except the South
Capitol street bridge are Federal
aid projects in which the city
matches national money.
ITO the war-swollen southeast and
northeast communities the esti-
mates promise partial relief. Police
protection is to be strengthened
through the long-sought 14th pre-
cinct at Forty-second street and
Benning road NE. The beginning
of better fire protection is implied
in proposed purchase of two sites
for engine companies in Anacostia
and Benning. Continuation is pro-
yided for the construction of the
Male Elementary School at East
Capitol street and Benning Road
NE; the Miller Junior High School
at Forty ninth street and Wash
ington place NE; the Sousa Junior
High at Thirty-fourth street and
Minnesota avenue Sc: the Cranch-
Tyler Elementary School at Eleventh
and G streets S. E. While work
(See D. c. BUDGET, Page A-6).