Evening star., 1947-07-08
$96,000,000Bi||
For DC. Sent 10
House Be|ated|y
Record Fund Allows
$4,000, 900 to Build
Additional Schools
By Don S. Worren


supply bill, eight days overdue,
was reported today to the House
oy its Appropriations Committee.
The sum is more than $4,000 900
above appropriations for last year.
It just Squeezes under the revenue
ceilings established under the new
District revenue bill now awaiting
action.
Highlight of the budget recon-
of the committee is a
school construction program that in
lew appropriations, increased cost
limits for existing appropriations
md contract authorizations for fu-
,ure construction exceeds $18,o00,-
100.
The full Appropriations Commit
Lee debated the supply bill more
than two hours this morning and
then reported it without change.
Hot Fight Indicated.
Various members, however, made
as to different items
and provisions, indicating a hot
fight may develop on the House
floor over some points.
Some members who follow Dis
5rict affairs closely were said to
nave challenged the size of the bill
N its final form and some particu-
ar items including the size of the
CT
Questions also are expected to be
raised regarding certain general
relating to plan to
the position of District
Auditor A. R. Pilkerton and to cur
tail some of the present powers Of
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler.
Chairman Taber of the full COM
mittee said the schedule was to
bring up the bill for House action
tomorrow. He said he saw no
chance for action later today. Sem
ate leaders also have promised to
expedite action on the measure.
Ends Part time Glasses.
The new school program was keyed
by the appropriation subcommittee,
which was headed by Representative
Koran, Republican, Of Washington.
to eliminate part-time classes for
1000 children and provide school
plants in new built up areas OF the
city now poorly served.
1t provides s3,2ls,230 for school
this year to cover 20 OF
the most urgent projects, the sub
committee said.
In addition, the bill carries new
project authorizations and increased
limits of costs on school projects
that will release $4,374,O00 that Con-
gress already has appropriated for
school buildings. These now are
blocked by inflated prices.
Record Total for Schools.
Including cash appropriations and
contract authorizations the bill sets
in motion a school expansion pro-
gram which totals s18,066,550
The proposed total outlay for all
school purposes was jumped to $24,-
48425O, setting an all-time high.
The figure is $4,742,418 over the 1947
and $4,944 $50 higher
than recommended II the Com
original estimates.
The recommended sums provide
for hiring so new school employees,
55 teachers.
Quick Action Sought.
Speedy action is sought on the
bill since the new fiscal year
already has started and District
pay roll problems will be faced II
the District remains without new
funds by July 20.
The big bill, as it came from the
Koran subcommittee, calls for an
outlay this year more than sl0,-
227 900 above the 1947 appropria-
tions. Yet the top figure recon-
mended is only s137,150 above the
revised estimates submitted by the
Board of Commissioners.
1t grew out of nearly 100000
words of testimony before the sub
committee. This was swelled by
many pages of statistics, supplied
at the request of subcommittee
members as they explored many
issues.
Victory for Horan.
The subcommittee plans, espe-
cially as to schools, was victory for
Representative Horan, who was
handling the District budget for the
first, time as subcommittee chair
man. During recent weeks, however,
he waged futile fight for sales
tax to provide funds for a budget
exceeding $100,000,000.
Inclusion of the extra funds for
school construction in the 1948 bill
was achieved by "scraping the bot
tom Of the barrel of the Districts
s1O,000000 investment fund, built
up during the war years. In addi-
ton. proposed heavy outlays for
expansion of the water supply and
distribution system would be post
poned.
Some officials, while not quarrel
ing with the financial juggling in
volved in the pending plan, main
tanned it would leave headaches for
the next fiscal year.
$4,000 for X-ray Survey.
The bill as written by the subcom-
nlittee also:
l. Carries $4,000 as the Districts
share Of the, city-wide x-ray survey
in the projected tuberculosis case
finding program, and $4,000 for a
cancer control project recommended
by Health Oficer George c. Ruh-
land.
2. Denies funds for the salary OF
See BUDGET, Page A-6J