Evening star., 1949-09-15
District 10 Ask
Budget Boost
Of $5,000,oO0
Senate Subcommittee
Told of Plans
For 81 Fiscal Yeor
By Harold B. Rogers

By Harold B. Rogers
An increase of between $5.000,-
900 and $7,000,000 in the Districts
budget for the fiscal year 1851
will be asked of Congress, Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee was
told today. The 1850 budget figure
was $103, 100000.
Deputy Budget Officer William
G. Wilding made this prediction
as he was questioned by Senators
about financial operations of the
city's new revenue law at a session
today. He headed an array Of sew
eral District officials whose appear
ance was to ask the subcommittee
to add $175,973 to a pending first
supplemental appropriation bill.
The measure, on which hearings
have been virtually completed by
the Senate unit, probably will. be
reported to the Senate next week,
1t was indicated.
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Oklahoma raised the question of
the probable budget requests for
the coming fiscal year for the city.
Mr.. Wilding said a figure of $143,-
100000 recently published was
only the estimates submitted by
District department heads.
This figure, Mr.. Wilding said.
would be greater than the amount
of revenue expected during the
year ending June 80, 1851, and
will be reduced by the District
Commissioners. He indicated the
city would not have that money
to spend and that it intended to
stay within it's income.
Several Senators asked how
much the Districts new 2 per cent
sales tax will turn into the treas
ury, prompted witnesses to say
that no accurate guess could be
made yet. But Corporation Coun-
sci Vernon E. West said previous
estimates had placed its return at
about 100000.
Mr.. Wilding said there we're no
plans to increase the sales tax
rate.
Mr.. West asked the subcommit-
tee to approve $11,660 for his
Office to be used in his tax
division for an assistant corpora
ton counsel, two secretaries and
equipment. needed principally be-
cause of the added work imposed
by the new revenue law.
Other requests made for addi-
tions to the supplemental bill for
the District included:
$103,065 for INDECENT care rem
dered by three private hospitals
here in the fiscal year 1913; $50,-
900 additional funds to operate
the city's system of day care for
the children of working mothers,
and $11,248 for settlement of
claims. e..
The supplemental supply bill
already carries for the District
total of $4,748,245. This includes
$4,205 ,850. in retroactive pay in
creases for about 1900 city work.
ers, for the last fiscal year ending
June 30. Already approved by
the House, this item apparently is
not in controversy since it is
authorized by law and District
revenues are expected to cover it
adequately.
Senators questioned several wit
nesses about the fund requested
to pay for INDECENT care at Emer-
gency, Casualty and Children's
Hospitals in 1948. Officials ex-
planned that this fund had been
stricken by the House but pre-
cedent existed for an appropria-
ton since Congress in many years
past, has taken care of such obli-
cations.
Testifying for payment of this
money were Mr.. Wilding, DR.. DAN
lei L. Seckinger, assistant public
health officer; James G. Caposella,
superintendent of Emergency Hos
pital; DR.. Joseph Rogers Young OF
Casualty Hospital, and James H.
Lemon, president of Children's
Hospital.
The day care centers would have
to be reduced from six to two if
the House-approved appropria-
ton of only $50,000 is allowed to
stand, the committee was told by
John w. Tramburg. District di-