Evening star., 1949-03-28

Senate Aid 10
Restore Budget
Reversal Of $1,000, 900.
House Cut Will Leave
Fund 100000 Short
By Jerry O'Leory, Jr.


Commissioners to restore So ,200,-
900 to the Districts 1850 budget.
covering almost every item cut
from it by the House, it was
learned today.
The House cut $4.397 ,SO6 from
the $1O3,321,4 ,427 estimate approved
by the Commissioners. The Com
will not ask for restor-
alton of $1,100,000 of the total
cut but last week sent a request
for $500,000 in new items to the
via President Truman.
Thus, the Senate will consider a
House approved budget of S99,-
100000 plus the $3.200,000 res
toration request and the $780,
900 in new items. If this $102.-
700,O 900 budget is approved by the
Senate-traditionally more liberal
than the House in the matter Of
appropriating District funds-the
budget will still be about $780,
900 less than the Commissioners
sought.
The $1o3,321,427 budget ap-
proved by the Commissioners
would leave the District facing a
$2,500.000 deficit for the fiscal
year beginning July l. The bud
get. however. would balance If
the House passes the 2 per cent
sales tax bill today.
Gallinger Request Included.
In addition to the $4,397 ,806
cut from the estimates by the
House. it also recommended cut
in the previous appropriations
for Spingarn Senior High School
by $1,187,39 The Commissioners
will ask that this money be re-
stored from the general fund.
President Truman last week
sent to the Senate the request
for $500,000 in supplemental
items for the pending District
budget. The largest extra budget
request was for $215,000 to buy
supplies and medicines for CAL
linger Hospital. Other items re-
quested in the budget amend
ment were: $135 900 for continued
operation of the District Rent
Control Administration: $34,400
for equipping the Park View Ele-
mentary School; $58,700 for fuel
at the Home for the Aged and
Infrm and $4,000 to convert a
Langston Terrace dormitory into
a community center.
Largest single item on the
Commissioners list for restora-
ton is the s1,187,OOO cut from
the construction fund for the
proposed Spingarn Senior High
School for colored students. II
the, Senate authorizes return Of
the Isl, 1877 900 from the general
fund, the District will have suf-
ficient funds to let a contract
and begin construction imme-
diately.
Officials Fear Equality Charges.
If the cut is not reversed by the
Senate, school officials fear they
will be open to charge of failing
to supply equal educational ad-
vantages to both colored and
white students. The House not
only failed to raise the contract
authorization for Spingarn to the
necessary $3,60O,000. but recon-
mended the S1.187,000 cut.
In addition to the Spingarn and
Park View items. the Commis-
sioners will ask the Senate to re-
store the following amounts to the
present S23,000,00O school budget:
$4,000 for a school census:
$66,500 for supplies and teachers
for the Sousa and Miller Junior
High Schools now under construc-
ton; $4,000 for supplies; S55,O0O
for wages of laborers engaged in
school maintenance: $4,000 for
equipment and furnishings and
$4,000 for plans for the proposed
new Hine Junior High School.
The Commissioners also will ask
for restoration of $279,000 cut by
the House from the $1,779,000
fund for District employees COM
pensation, workmen's compensa-
ton and the District employees re-
tirement fund.
Other Reservations Sought.
Other restorations the Commis-
sioners will seek from the Senate
are as follows:
Health Department - 1882, 900
for equipment for the new pedi-
atrics and crippled children's
clinic at Gallinger Hospital and
$347,0OO for pay raises and other
operating expenses at the city
hospital.
Public Library-$15,000 for
books, supplies and equipment.
exactly the amount cut from the
library appropriation by the
House.
Recreation Department - $780,
900 for replacement of the bath
houses at the Georgetown and
Rosedale playground pools and
$4,000 to be transferred to the
National Capital Parks office for
expense.
Police Department-s99, 900 for
changing the police radio net
work from AM to FM transmission
and $4,000 for personnel costs.
Police and Firemen's Relief
the entire 900 cut from the
total $2,9o0.000 originally sought
by the Commissioners for pay
ment Of pensions to retired police
men and f1remen and the widows
and children of those who have
died.
Public Welfare Department.
S289,000 for public assistance
grants and S93,640 for protective
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