Evening star., 1950-12-31
Fight Expected
On Child Center,
Sales Tax Bills
Prospects of Action
At Expiring Session
Appear Very Slim
By Harold B. Rogers


troversy in Congress.
Although the District Commits
sioners have asked for $50.000
more to run the centers for chill
dren of working mothers the rest
of this fiscal year, the prospects
of action by the expiring 81st Con-
gress appear very slim.
The last big $40 billion appro-
priation bill goes to conference to-
morrow and under parliamentary
procedure nothing can be added
to a supply bill after it has passed
both houses of Congress in diff
ferent form.
When the 82nd Congress con-
venes next Wednesday, however.
it is expected that deficiency re-
quests will be submitted by the
President for considerations. If
the $4,000 for day care eenters
clears the Budget Bureau and is
sent to Congress with the back
ing of the Commissioners, it will
be slated for action by the House
first.
Fund Cut in Half.
The House struck bloW at the
centers last summer by cutting in
half the annual appropriation re-
quest of 100000. previously au-
thorized, and Congress finally
appropriated only the $50, 1000: The
centers closed recently for lack
of funds.
The Districts per cent sales
tax is expected to come up for
consideration in the new Congress.
and a battle is due over attempts
to cut it down. Chairman Mcmillan
of the House District Committee
already is on record for lifting
the present sales tax on all hotel
and restaurant meals, which starts
at SIPS.
The Commissioners, faced with
mounting expenses in all depart
ments, have decided to oppose
any decrease in sales tax revenues.
The levy now is producing about
$13.5 million year.
There also have been some in
dications that attempts will be
made to have the city's sales tax
conform to recent sales tax re-
ductions made by Maryland. Taxes
in Maryland have been removed
on all meals, baby powder, oils
and some other items.
d. C. Asks S135 Million.
The commissioners have de-
cided to ask for budget of around
1875 million for running the city
during the next fiscal year begin,
ming July l. This request goes
to the Budget Bureau for inclu-
sion in the big budget the Presi-
dent will send to the new Con-
greSS.
Already Congress has appro-
priated for the District this fiscal
year a total of $120,023,4 In
addition. there is pending in the
supplemental bill going to con-
ference tomorrow an appropria-
ton of $337,500 for District civil
defense.
Little, if any, District legisla-
ton is expected to be approved
by the expiring Congress, which
ends at noon Wednesday. There
is a bare possibility that the Sem
ate District Committee may try
to get quorum Tuesday morning
to act on a subcommittee report
on wire tapping here A subcon-
mittee report, and a proposed bill
to curb wire-tapping are ready for
the full committee, but it is doubt
full whether the committee will
take any action.
Crime Bill to Be Offered.
Chairman Davis of the House
District subcommittee investigat-
| ing crime in Washington may
drop in the House hopper Tues
day. A comprehensive bill to
tighten present laws against Grim
inals. and improve law enforce
ment. The bill is the outgrowth
of public hearings and many ex-
ecutive sessions of the subcommit-
tee with law enforcement officials.
Representative Davis said he hopes
to offer the bill before the end OF
this Congress, and will introduce
it again early in the 82d Congress.
4 Efforts probably will be made
in the new Congress to revive the
home rule bill to give Washington
a limited form of self government,
with streamlined city adminis-
tration. A Senate-passed bill has
been deadlocked in the House Dis
trfict Committee for more than
a year. A discharge petition filed
in the House failed to obtain
enough signatures to force the
measure out of the District Com
mittee.
| District rent controls have
been extended to March 81, and
the new Congress is expected to
consider the need for further
extension.
All pending District legislation
dies with the expiration of the
81st Congress, and new bills will
have to be introduced in the new
Congress.
Among the measures now dead
is the long-contested bill to re-
organize the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
1t was passed by the Senate April
10 this year, but failed in the
House.
Among other District bills which
will die is one to GUST sex perverts
from the Government payroll, and
to tighten laws governing them.
Others, minor in nature, include
those to prevent goats from roam
ing at large, to kill starlings, to
regulate BARRIERS, establish por-
trait gallery museum in the old
District Court House, destroy
weeds on private property, pro-
vide flight training for high school
students, regulate the number Of
taxicabs in the District and
control the practice of optometry.