Evening star., 1947-03-09
Outside Experts
May Help Write
New DC. Taxes
Committees Plan
Joint Hearings
Starting March 18
By John W. Thompson. ]

by John w. Thompson, Jr.
Outside tax experts probably will
be called in to aid the House and
Senate subcommittee about to
tackle the Districts big money
raising program.
This was disclosed yesterday by
both Chairman Bates of the House
group and Chairman Cain of the
Senate subcommittee.
Mr.. Bates, Republican of Massa-
chusetts, said he was negotiating
with an outstanding expert" in the
tax field whose acceptance he hoped
to obtain over the weekend. He
withheld the name of the expert,
however, until arrangements have
been completed.
Mr.. Bates said he talked by long
distance telephone Friday to his
proposed aide. The latter's accep-
tance depends on obtaining re-
lease from other commitments.
Senator Cain, Republican of
Washington; said that he has not
yet selected an aide but was plan
ming to do so.
Hearings Planned March Is.
The two chairmen plan opening
joint hearings on the city money
program March 10.
The program before the joint
committee includes eight tax bills
designed to add 17,750,000 to the
general Golfers of the District and
$1,500000 specifically for the high
way fund. ...
In addition the members will have
before them the Overton- O'Ma-
honey-Hebert bill creating a for
mula for the annual Federal pay
. ment to Capital City expenses based
on the relation of federally owned
tax exempt land here to the total
city acreage. The measure is cal
culated to yield about s11, ,666 900 On
the basis of current figures, as COM
pared with the actual $4,000, 900
lump sum actually appropriated by
Congress for this fiscal year.
It was also believed likely that
District request to borrow from The
Treasury to avert a deficit in the
water fund would flnd its way before
the two subcommittee.
To Analyze Present Taxes First.
Mr.. Bates said no schedule has
yet been developed setting out in
what order the new bills would be
considered. He added, however, that,
his subcommittee would want to
hear first from city officials why
the present tax structure will not
meet the need before going into
new proposals which include the
controversial sales tax
Although Mr. Hates had previ-
ously invited Senator Cain to pre-
side at the Joint hearings, Senator
Cain probably will arrange introduce
ton Of the tax bills on the Senate
side this week and thus become
chairman officially.
Meanwhile Mr.. Bates has drafted
a joint resolution authorizing Joint
hearings by the House and Senate
District committees on any matters
that come before them. He. said,
however, that he would withhold
introduction of the resolution until
the success of the joint tax hearings
is assured.
The Massachusetts, legislator said
he is personally convinced of the
value of joint proceedings as savers
OF both time and monev on the
basis Of experience, in his State
Legislature.
Gas Tax Protest Received.
The first of what House District
Committee attaches expect will be
many protests against the proposed
one cent per gallon increase in the
gasoline tax came in yesterday from
Frank j. and Natalie S. Schimorielli,
Of 1917 Eighteenth street Sc. The
protest, In the form of a printed
petition, declares the increase is not
needed and will raise the fuel cost
of the average District motorist to
$50 annually.
Meantime 1t was announced that
Joseph E. Keller, executive secre-
tary of the District of Columbia
Petroleum Industries Committee,
will address meeting of oilmen to
protest the proposed District gas
tax increase at $3.50 pm. tomorrow
at the Willard Hotel.
Other speakers to address the
meeting will be S. A. Parks, execu-
tive committee chairman of the
organization, and Harry VAIN
wright, manager of the Retail Gaso-
line Dealers Association.