Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-29
S146.3 Million
D. {. Budget
Is Approved
House Group Cuts
Request 3.5 Pct, y
Urges Tax Raises
By Don S. Warren

BY Don }. Warren
The House Appropriations
Committee today approved the
Districts biggest annual supply
bill. calling for OUTLAWS totaling
$146.3 million. The group, how
ever, warned the day of sur
pluses was coming to an end
and urged the Commissioners to
give serious study to increased
tax revenues.
The committee slashed of only
3.5 per cent from the record
breaking request for the fiscal
year beginning July /, which to-
tailed $151.5 million.
The bill, prepared by a SUBJ
committee headed by Repre-
tative Wilson, Republican, of
Indiana provides for the full
$12 million Federal payment as
authorized in the 1947 District
Revenue Act. Apparently there
was no contest over this in the
action today before the full
House Appropriations Commit
tee, for the bill was reported
without change after only a
brief review.
The city's supply bill is ex-
pected to come up for action
by the House next Tuesday. II
past history is repeated. there
may be moves on the House floor
then to chop down the size of
the Federal share of District
expenses.
Civil Defense Cut.
The House budgeteers used
the knife rather gently on the
requests. with a few exceptions,
One exception was a dras-
tic cut in city requests for it's
civil defense program. The COM
mittee allowed only $23,339 for
this-a cut of 1921 ,661.
This was in keeping with the
attitude of House Appropriation
Committee members that the
District should have only a small
compact civil defense staff and
service.
District tax increases already
are being considered to finance
the Districts proposed 1895 mil
lion, eight-year public works pro-
gram designed to enable the city
to catch up with it's huge back
log OF capital outlay needs.
Finances Reviewed.
On the finance angle, the Will
son subcommittee said. and tho
full committee agreed: -
There was testimony to the
effect that a deficit of SGT mil
lion could be expected in the
general fund in 1855 in spite OF
the 1877 million surplus which
the budget estimates contem-
plated for the fiscal year 1854.
reductions recommended by
the committee throughout the
bill will increase the 1854 esti-
mated surplus by SAT million
which will carry over to 1855 as
an offset against the deficit in
this fund in 1856"
In other words, the commit
tees calculations indicate that
on the basis of the spending it
recommends and present reve-
nue. estimates, the District would
wind up the next fiscal year with
an unobligated balance of $8.4
million, which would more than
cover the now-calculated 1855
deficit. Committee members
have indicated, however, they
wanted to make sure the Dis
trict had cushion to absorb the
costs of proposals for pay raises
for District school teachers as
we'll as Washington police and
firemen.
Summing up it's financial re-
view, the committee report said:
I'm view of the prospect of def
cts in 1855 and subsequent years
and since it does not appear that
the current Getty governmenD
reorganization will achieve any
economy in operations. methods
Of increasing tax revenues should
be given most serious consider
ton by the new Commissioners"
HighIights of Bill.
Among highlights Of the bill,
the committee:
/. Approved $2.6 million to
cover the costs of realigning
District employees under reor-
ganization, reducing requested
OUTLAWS by $222,615. The COM
mittee criticized the practice Of
assessing old-line District divi-
sions to pay the cost of the new
department of general admin
istration, and insisted on maxi
(See D. c. BUDGET. Page A-5)