Evening star., 1950-06-27
Senate Expected
.ToAct Soon on
Budget for DC.
Figure Expanded
By S6 Million. TotoI
Now $119 Million
w Don S. Worren

over the House figure to raise the
total to $11s,019,562.
The bigger spending plan was
reported favorably last night by
the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee, as revised upwards by the
subcommittee headed by Senator
Hill. Democrat. of Alabama.
Although it calls for outlays far
above this years budget. it was
estimated it would leave a revenue
surplus of nearly So million. The
total recommended to the Senate
however. was about $2.2 million
below the total requests of the
Commissioners.
Hopes for Early Enactment.
Senator Hill said he hopes the
bill can be enacted before the emo
of the present fiscal year Friday
night.
There were warnings, however
OF added costs in the coming fiscal
year, especially Should Congress
adopt some Of the pending bene-
fetal legislation.
This includes a f1ve-day work
week for police, which would add
about 81 million in the first year;
continuation of the day care CEN
ters. not yet budgeted. and some
other bills.
The Senate committee has add
ed more money to many House
items. but the big additions al
ready had been forecast. These
include:
Restoration of 2,041 300 for the
beginning of construction of the
East Capitol Street Bridge over
the Anacostia River. This was
eliminated by the House only be-
cause the battle over the site had
not been settled when the House
passed the supply bill.
Addition of $1,s2s, 900 to funds
for the Washington Aqueduct
made possible by enactment OF
legislation authorizing District
loans from the Treasury up to $2a
million for expansion of the wa
ter system.
Added Sever Funds.
Restoration of $500 900 of the
House cut of 81 million from
sewer capital works. much of this
for food control work in the Piney
Branch Valley.
Restoration of the budget re-
quest of $745, 900 for payments to
private hospitals for care of the
Districts INDECENT patients.
The House had cut proposed
District cash outlays by S per cent
and contract authorizations by Is
per cent. The Senate committee
restored much of the cash cuts,
and two-thirds of the contract
authorizations.
Chairman Hills subcommittee
calculated that the Senate bill
would leave surplus at the end
of the 1851 fiscal year of $5,320,-
SIG in the general fund, $645 ,2O5
in the highway fund and an even
balance in the water fund, if the
District sold the last remaining
$341 900 of It's water fund secur.
tiles.
d The Senate Committee, while
adding to the House totals fol
schools, also deleted some items
One was the $4,000 item the
House had inserted for purchase
OF athletic equipment for the high
schools. The Senate committee
said this new program should be
held up until school authorities
had submitted a report to the
congressional Appropriation Com
mitteeS.
The Senate group also knocked
out Of the bill the request for ar
additional $4,000 for completion
of plans for proposed new Arm
strong senior high school.
This was done because the Sen.
ate committee found that more
than $50 900 still remained of the
1948 appropriation of $4,000 fol
beginning such plans. The Senate
group said that. since the project
"has been deferred until such time
as final decision is made" upon ar
alternate plan, it was thought the
unobligated balance would be ade.
quate next year.
The Senate bill, however, raises
the total 1851 outlay proposed fol-
the schools to $28,261,577, an in.
crease Of $259,677 over the House
bill.
Backs School Items.
Aside from the upward revision
of contract limits for building
projects. the Senate bill callee
for funds for replacement of the
armory floor at Eastern High
School, for installation of eco.
nomics equipment at Roosevelt
High School. for rewriting of the
Western High School stage anc
some other projects.
The Senate bill also covers the
rewriting of the new Cardoza High
School (old Central High, an in.
creased sum for the construction
Of the River Terrace Elementary
School and half of the funds
needed for completing plans TO,
the proposed new Seaton Ele.
mentary School.
In addition, the Senate in
creased school outlays by $l33.-
O47 to transfer to the schools the
Board Of Public Welfare penny
milk program.
In another change. the Senate