Evening star., 1948-04-11

APRIL H., i94s.
000, 900 including payment for water.
Chief immediate reaction was that
within few years increased budgets
and revenues would bring the
fiscal formula up against the $l5,-
600 900 ceiling while city taxes con-
tinued to mount. Anticipating this.
the subcommittee report will sug-
gest that the formula be reviewed
periodically by Congress as condi-
tions change.
2. A reduced limit on the amount
of bonded Indebtedness the city
could float. This is cut from 10 to
8 per cent of the total assessed value
of taxable real property-or down to
about $48,000,00o The entire rev.
enues Of the District would be
pledged as security, instead of only
realty taxes, as first planned.
3. General legislation proposals
Of the city council would be subject
to Affirmative action by the House
and Senate and the President, in
stead of veto, as originally sug-
gested. This is designed to avoid
constitutional questions raised as
to the original plan for stopping
council-initiated legislation, by veto
by the House or Senate or Presi-
dent. The substitute plan provides
that council proposals would become
law only If Congress passed joint
resolution, to be approved by the
President, affirming council pro-
posals.
Plan Approves Petitions.
In this connection the new plan
also provides for petitions for the
discharge Of the proposed Joint
District Committee from considera-
ton of any council proposal, If it
fails to act within Is days. 1t also
schedules formal District days in
both House and Senate.
4. A simpler plan for election of
the District council and the Board
Of Education. All nominations as
well as member elections would be
city-wide. The old plan to divide
the District into four population
areas for the nomination of two
thirds of the 12-member council and
one half of the 8-member school
board, is abandoned. All now would
be nominated and elected at large.
Candidates still would run for a
selected numbered positions on the
council and board,
S. District residents, otherwise
qualified, could not run for or hold
District elective posts, or vote for
the District delegate in the House,
if they claimed legal domicile out
side the District. But, under the
new home rule draft, they still could
vote in council or school board elec-
tions, If resident here for a year,
were 81 years or older, and not
mentally incompetent or convicted
of felony. The Hatch Act would
be specifically amended to permit
Federal employees to engage in Dis
trict politics.
Referendum Date st.
If the measure is enacted, the
referendum would be held next No
vember Is. The first election of
council and school board members
and District delegate would be
staged February 8, 1949. There
after, council and school board men,
bers would be elected in November
of odd-numbered years and the Dis
trict delegate in November of even
numbered years.
The referendum would be con-
Quoted by a Charter Referendum
Board consisting of the president of
the Board of Commissioners and
three bona fide District residents,
not employees of the city government,
to be named by the president.
Elections would be by nonpartisan
ballot, bearing no party labels, but
the subcommittee has stricken the
original language banning other
publication of the party affiliations
of candidate.
In many other changes, the Auch-
incloss Subcommittee responded to
| objections raised at the recent hear
ings or found other reasons to mod
ify the terms of the original bill.
Compromises were made at numer-
GUS points, all designed to reduce
opposition by the critics, but the
authors declared they have made
no compromises that go to funda-
mental principles.
The final product of the Auchin-
Gloss Subcommittee brought warm
Endorsement from Chairman Dirk
sen of the full committee. with
bold brush and with rare depth
and perception, they have produced
complete portrait of modern
democratic government for the Dis
| trict," he said
The proposed charter, Mr.. Dirksen
said, provides framework for "a