Evening star., 1951-05-20
DC. Budget Bill
Moves Toward
House Action
Subcommittee to Vote
Tuesday on Record
$140 Billion Fund
Bv Harold B. Roqers

ttoiS0 ~. N0SStS
The Districts 1852 budget, now
increased to $140.5 million, makes
another important move forward
through the congressional legis-
lative mill this week.
The appropriations subcommit-
tee which has concluded hearings,
plans to act on the record break
Ing supply measure Tuesday morn
ing.
Although the group, headed by
Representative Bates, Democrat,
of Kentucky, will be looking for
possible economies, it is believed
the full $12 million Federal pay
ment to city costs will be sent to
the Appropriations Committee for
action.
Expenses of operating the Capt.
tails municipal services have been
increasing with the growth of its
defense population, and Mr.. Bates
plans to support the entire Fed
eral payment against attempts to
cut it.
May Reach Floor This Week.
The city budget was raised from
It's previous figure of $136 million
Friday when President Truman
sent up District supplemental
items of more than So million.
This brought the total supply bill
figure to $140.513,150.
There were prospects last night
that the District appropriations
bill may be the next supply meas
ure approved by the full Appro-
priations Committee and sent to
the House for action sometime this
week.
Meantime, pending before Con-
gresS for final action within the
next few days is the big Third
Supplemental Bill, carrying among
many other items a total of ST.
122,740 for the District in 1851.
Both House and Senate have
agreed on this figure for the city.
Principal items are for the COL
lector'S Office to refund money to
banks here as a result of a court
fight over taxes, and the support
of city indigents at st. Elizabeths
Hospital.
Property Tax Repeal Studied.
Legislation for repeal of the Dis
trict's personal property tax on
household goods and jewelry will
come up again IN public hearings
at 2 pm. Tuesday before a House
Senate District joint subcommit-
tee on fiscal affairs. Also pending
before the unit are II other
changes in District tax law.
The two fiscal subcommitteesI
joining in consideration of this
tax legislation are headed by Sem
ator Hunt, Democrat, of Wyoming
and Representative Smith, Demo-
crat, of Virginia.
There has been doubt in the
minds of some subcommittee
members as to the practical pos
sibility Of getting Congress to re-
peal taxes of any kind during the
defense emergency. But the joint
unit plans to consider the problem
seriously before taking final ac-
ton. Hearings probably will be
concluded Tuesday.
Hearing Set Thursday.
To tackle the controversial
problem of whether District rent
control should be extended beyond
its expiration June go House
District subcommittee is planning
a public hearing soon.
A Senate District subcommittee
will resume public hearings at $50
am. Thursday on two pending
bills. They would provide for pre-
marital physical examinations,
and require payment of wages
twice each month here.
Talk of a possible compromise
on pending home rule legislation,
now bottled up in the Senate Dis
trict Committee, was current
again at the Capitol yesterday.
Senator Kefauver, Democrat, of
Tennessee, co-sponsor of the
measure, said he hoped to confer
this week with Senator Case, Re-
publican, of South Dakota, who
objects to the Kefauver measure.