Evening star., 1952-01-25
Congress l|skeY
10 Budget
DonoIue Says


Larger Federal Share.
Agency Heuds Told
District agency heads. disturbed
over budget slashes In their de-
'partments. were answered yes
terday by Commissioner F. Joseph
Donohue.
The city heads. he said, can
provide more adequately for city
needs only If taxes are raised or
IL the Federal Government pays a
bigger and fairer share for the
municipal upkeep.
Mr.. Donohue said that he and
top City officials ruled out higher
taxation as undesirable at this
time.
Intends to Fight Hard.
That, he said. placed the re-
sponsibility squarely on Congress,
where 1t belongs. He said he
intends to fight hard to get that
point across when the District
budget comes up for congressional
hearings.
Last year about this time, Mr.
Donohue had been in Office only
"a few weeks. He said yesterday
that, while a year ago he tried to
impress Congress In budget hear
|ings that the Federal share should
be raised, he did not have enough
experience in municipal govern
|ment to make his strongest argu-
|ment.
PerilOus Surplus.
1T have some facts now" the
Commissioner declared yesterday
II know, for one main thing, that
the city anticipates only a $4,000
surplus in its general fund fol
1858.
IT know that, if Congress cuts
its $12 million share by as much
as 5 per cent, we are going to be
in serious trouble in 1883" hi
added.
Mr.. Donohue said this is true
despite the fact that the Districts
1858 budget request of $136.4 mil.
lion is actually So million less thar
the 1852 operating cost. Cutbacks
on all departmental expansion
Iplans did that.
The Commissioners pointed out
that, in his years experience ir
office, he has had a chance tc
look into a number of the Dis.
Etrict's operations.
Points to Fire Trap"
He recalled visiting that fire
trap" - the Industrial Home
School. Even now, he Is investi.
Igak1g the District Training
School for the feehle-minded, al
Laurel. Md, which has recently
been the target of congressional.
complaints. He deplored livine
conditions of the staff at Gal.
Ilinger Hospital.
"These situations exist, we know
about them, but what can we de
about them unless we have enough
revenue?" he said.
The solution, according to Mr.
Donohue, is a Federal paymen'
to the District Of from q to 8:
Iper cent.
He pointed out that, at on.
time. the Governments share wa,
$3.50. As of 1852, this figure hat
dwindled to 8 per cent, notwith,
standing the decrease of the dol,
lar value with imitation.
He pointed out some of the bur.
dens the District shares with tn,
Federal Government. For ex.
ample, the $250,000 yearly main.
Itenance payment to the nev
Federal courthouse. which is ex.
pected to be operating in the neal
future.
This Is tangible element, Mr.
Donohue says, like the tax-fre,
Federal properties here. Amoni
the intangibles are the wastet
space of such broad thorough
fares as Pennsylvania avenue ant
the large acreage of the Nationa
Geological Park.
Improbable Features.
eff this weren't the Nationa
Capital, we wouldn't have sucl
improbable features here" h,
says.
And in answer to those who sa.
that Washington would shrive
up If the Federal section wer
taken away. MIR. Donohue as
serted, "I contend that the cit.
could be one Of the biggest indus
trial and transportation centers Il
the country If the seat Of Govern
ment were removed"
One reason is that Washing
ton has a perfect location. as ,
rail and river terminal for tn
middle Atlantic region, he de
lclared.
"If we are to operate as a city
las well as the Nations Capital
Congress must realize it mus
share the burden equitably," h,