Evening star., 1948-06-13
By Don S. Worren


The fate of the House-passed
bill proposing a retail sales tax
for the District, coupled with a
high bracket income levy, will
be settled this week in the
Senate.
Sponsors of the bill, facing delay
ing tactics and possible fillbuster
maneuver, warned yesterday that
the threat of another sharp increase
in realty taxes is involved in the
confused situation.
If the revenue bill should be
shelved and if Congress in the clos
ing days Of this session orders
Government pay raises, they ex-
planned. the commissioners would
be forced to order an increase in
real and personal property taxes to
prevent 4 deficit.
Taxes Up 80 Per Cent This Year.
Realty taxes this year we're raised
by 30 per cent, in rate and assess
ment increases, they recalled,
The fear of a resort to realty
tax increase existed when the House
passed the sales-taX measure, and
congressional committees at that
time had before them defense OF
the Districts ratio of assessments
and an outline of the hardship
higher realty tax would cause,
drafted by Assessor Edward A. Dent
in response to a congressional in
quiry.
Senator Cain, Republican. Of
Washington, in charge of the mea-
sure yesterday began determined
flight for Senate passage of the
House bill. He insisted there is
no other possible answer" to the
citys financial woes,
He argued the case for 10 minutes
before Senate colleagues, but for
the second time, action on the mea-
sure was postponed because of an
objection. This was made by Sem
ator Sparkman, Democrat, of Ala.
bama, acting for Senator Johnston,
Democrat. of South Carolina, who
was absent. Senator Johnston has
announced he will filibuster against
the bill. If necessary, in an effort
to kill it.
District Raises in Peril.
Meanwhile, a move was developing
to kill bills proposing raises for
Washington police, firemen and
schoo. teachers as means of short
ening the size of the District deficit
If the revenue bill fails. Some
said these may have to be blocked in
such a case even If Congress goes
ahead with q cost-of- Living pay
raise for classified Government
workers.
A raise for classified Government
workers would apply to less than
half of the Districts payroll. The
others would need legislation, sepa-
rate from the pending Federal pay
measures.
| There has been general theory
that if the classified workers are
given a pay raise all other District
government employees should be
| treated similarly But the argument
was heard on Capitol Hill yesterday
that regardless of this it would be
necessary to shave city costs If the
revenue measure was Smothered.
Senator Cain, head of the District
Fiscal Subcommittee that held ex-
tended hearings both this year and
last on the city's revenue problem,
made no commitments on the
various pay raise issues.
10000 Seen Affected.
But it was noted that in his ap-
peal to the Senate yesterday for
approval Of the combination tax
plan he raised question that Dis
trict workers, outside of the classi-
fed service, might suffer If the
tax bill fails, even though the other
pay bills were enacted.
He put it this way;
THE District of Columbia en-
ploys approximately $4,000 workers.
Abaut $4,000 of these are classified.
If Federal pay raise legislation is ap-
proved these 5000 workers are au-
tomatically entitled to the increase.
The remaining personnel, or
about 10000 employees, who are
equally deserving of any raise con-
sideration. are likely to be denied
these indicated increases if the
community lacks sufficient revenue
to meet such an obligation.
Every school teacher, every fire
man and every policeman is an un-
classified worker in the District"
he said, meaning that without sep
arate pay bills they would lose the
contemplated cost-of-living wage
boost"
/ Meanwhile. the record-smashing
District budget for the year be-
ginning July is nearly through
Congress. The House late yester-
day approved the report of the joint
congressional conference commit