Evening star., 1949-01-11
Committees
P Ian 10 Attack
Problems
Pledge Prompt Study
Of Budget, 8 Million
Out of BuIunce
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Worren
An early attack will be made
on the Districts revenue prob
lens, in the light of the $103,-
100000 budget that is out of bal
ance by at least 100000, lead
ers of the House and Senate Dis
trict Committees promise.
Studies will be instituted prompt
ly, according to Chairman, Nc
Grath of the Senate District
Committee and Representative Nc
MILAN, prospective head of the
House unit.
Some members are joining In the
campaign for a sales tax as the
major solution of the city's shortage
of funds, but others are awaiting
more facts.
First Session Held.
A start was made today, as
Chairman McGrath called members
of the Senate District Committee
into their first session for organiza-
ton purposes.
A willingness to work as members
of the District Committee was ex-
pressed by the group at the meet
ing. One indication was a general
agreement that the size of the staff
should be doubled.
In the last Congress, there were
only five staff employees, including
the counsel and clerks. If the pres
ent plan is carried out, the COM
mittee will appoint six clerks, in
counsel or director, and
four professional staff experts
Names Of candidates for the 10
jobs were not discussed.
Bipartisan Move Made.
A bipartisan note was struck by
Chairman MrGrath when he an.
nounced his intention to name
clerks for the minority side as well
as the majority. He also announced
that while subcommittee in the past
have consisted of two majority party
members and one for the minority,
he proposed to disregard party lines
generally in assigning members to
subcommittee work. He expressed
willingness to appoint any member
to any subcommittee as requested.
Another new note came when
Chairman McGrath suggested
meeting of the committee might be
called each month for a general
discussion of District affairs instead
of having hearings only on pending
bills. These sessions, he said, could
be scheduled as issues arose. The
plan brought favorable comment
from committee members.
Senator Kefauver, Democrat, Of
Tennessee voiced the additional
suggestion that it might be worth
while to have joint sessions with
the House District Committee for
general discussion Of city affairs.
To Name Same Groups.
Chairman McGrath announced he
planned to name the same standing
subcommittees that operated last
year. These are Fiscal Affairs, Home
Rule and Reorganization of the Dis
trict Government, Judiciary, Public
Health, Education and Recreation:
Public Service, Streets and Traffic,
and Public Utilities, Insurance and
Banking.
Members were asked to indicate
their subcommittee preferences.
Chairman McGrath notified the
committee he hoped for early action
on his bill to authorize the Commits
sioners each year, in its discretion,
to order daylight saving for Wash
ington. He said it was a waste of
time to require Congress to legislate
on this issue each year.
He did not ask for action today,
since some of the freshman Sena-
tors had not seen the bill. But
the Rhode Island Senator said he
would bring it up soon so that the
legislation can be enacted well in
advance Of April, when daylight
time would become effective.
While organization of the House
unit has been delayed, awaiting
selection Of individual members,
some holdover leaders already are
calling for early adoption Of the
sales tax.
These include Mr.. Mcmillan, Rep
resentative Smith, Democrat, of
Virginia, who is scheduled to head
the Fiscal Subcommittee, and Rep
resentative Bates, Republican, Of
Massachusetts,, ranking minority
member of the District Committee,
who last year headed its Fiscal SUBJ
committee.
Bates Favors Sales Tax.
Mr.. Bates, who a year ago had
some doubts about the need of a
sales tax, said he Is in favor of the
levy, in view of present circum-
stances. He suggested studies be
started promptly to get the added
revenues rolling in as soon as pos
sible. He mentioned short term
loans as possibility to meet early
construction needs.
At the same time Representative
Klein, Democrat, of New York, who
may not continue as a member of
the District Committee, renewed his
sponsorship of a bill to raise Dis
trict personal income tax rates and
to broaden the application of this
levy.
He is opposed to any sales tax
He said he thinks his plan would
bring in an additional $l2,000,000
or more each year.
Senator McGrath called a quick
meeting Of his group to get organ
ization started because of the very
serious revenue and budget situa-
ton facing the District"
He has not yet committed him
self on the sales tax, wishing to