Evening star., 1953-12-22
District Rejects
Proposed Raise
In Teacher Pay
Move Held Threat
To Works Program;
Compromises Drown
By jones 6. Deone

after hearing a warning by
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
that any increase would require
new taxes.
Mr.. Fowler told the Commls-
sioners a pay raise without new
taxes-and the round of in
creases for other employees which
could be expected to follow it
would jeopardize the city's S3O6
million public works PROGRAM.
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
promptly indicated that there is
little chance the city can boost
teacher pay now.
The Citizens Advisory Coun-
cil-which sat in on the session
this morning-afterward recon-
mended unanimously against any
increase in pay at present.
Mr.. Fowler's warning was
given at a meeting at which city
aides and school officials clashed
over the Board of Education's
request for SO million in raises
for teachers and school officials.
Compromise Unlikely.
District officials proposed a
compromise giving the school
employees about third as much.
But they quickly said that even
this is probably out of the ques-
ton at present.
Schuyler Lowe. director Of
general administration, proposed
a further compromise which
would cost the city $477, 900 in
the next fiscal year-or one-sixth
of the school board estimate.
But Mr.. Lowe himself said this.
too. is probably too much for
the Districts tight budget.
The school board asked for
the So million in raises two weeks
ago. The District is under in
structions to report on the ade-
quacy of present school salaries
to Congress by January 4.
Some Raise Justifiable.
City officials agreed today that
some pay raise is justified. Mr.
Lowe indorsed a District per-
sonnel office plan for more mod
est raises than those proposed
by the school board. 1t is this
plan which would cost about 81
millionaire first of the two
compromises proposed today.
School board members made
it clear at today's meeting that
this compromise is unaccept-
able, however. c. Melvin Sharpe,
board president, appointed a
committee to meet with city Off
cials tomorrow morning on the
subject. but neither side indi-
Gated any hope of real agree
ment.
Commissioner Spencer near
the close of the lengthy session
today. said it may be necessary
to send both plans separately to
Congress.
Revenues Seen Dropping.
Mr.. Fowler, in describing the
city's financial plight, said Dis
trict revenues already have
reached their peak and now look
as if they are going down.
This, he said, frightens city
officials, and he expressed fear
that any raise for teachers would
embarrass the city further by
setting off a new round of wage
increases.
1t is this, he said, which would
jeopardize the public works pro-
gram unless new taxes beyond
these already planned are levied.
He added that no funds at all
are yet available for the works
program. \
$13 Million in Red.
Mr.. Fowler said that in effect
the District is already $13 mil
lion in the red, adding:
That isn't very pretty pic
ture."
Henry Hubbard, District per-
sonnel officer. and Norman j
Nelson. assistant superintendent
of schools, outlined the opposing
wage proposals at the meeting.
Mr.. Hubbard said school en-
ployeS deserve a raise because of
the cost of living and in order
to keep their pay in line with
that in other cities. But his plan
(See TEACHERS. Page A-31