Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-07-28
BUDGET
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all of this increase would 60 for
reorganization work.
In fact, the conferees are di-
recting that $65,O00 be applied
to the hire of additional asses
sors on the staff of District FL
nance Officer James L. Martin.
This had been recommended
earlier by the Senate Committee
on testimony by Mr.. Martin that
each additional assessor could
bring in an additional $1,000 a
week in tax collections.
This would leave only about
$4,000 for the reorganization
staff as such, and force a reduc-
ton in this staff as distinguished
from the regular personnel of
the old divisions covered into
the new departments.
Case for Budget Setup.
Chairman Case of the Senate
District Committee, one of the
conferees on the city supply bill,
quickly defended the recommen-
dalton that the budget officer be
allowed to report directly to the
Commissioners.
THAT is what I would have
suggested originally if I had
been consulted in advance" he
told a reporter.
The conference recommended
ton as to Mr.. Fowler is contained
in the following single sentence:
1T is the opinion of the con-
ferees of both houses that the
budget officers should report di-
rectly to the Commissioners"
He contended that business
corporations do not separate
their budget officers from direct
access to the top management.
He also commented that in the
Federal Government. the Budget
Bureau is in the Executive Of
fees of the President and does
not report to him through Cen
eral Services Administration or
some other division.
Asked whether the Commits
sionerS would be compelled to
follow the conference recommen-
dalton, however, he said he re-
garded the conference statement
as advisory"
Study Forecast.
Engineer Commissioner Louis
w. Prentiss, hearing of the de-
velopments last night by tele-
phone, said, 1--WE will have to
look into it and give it very
careful study"
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
admitted discussing the matter
lin a preliminary way yesterday
with Senator Case. He would
not say, however, what he ex-
pected to do about the recon-
mendation. He added that he
had not discussed it with Mr..
Fowler.
A more positive move last week
by the Senate Appropriations
Committee to limit control of
General Administrator Lowe was
knocked out of the bill on the
Senate floor on a point of order.
The Senate committee had
approved a recommendation of
the District Subcommittee to
transfer both the functions and
funds of the budget Office and
the management Office to the
Executive Offices of the Com
missionerS. This would have
taken both these key units away
from Mr.. Lowe.
Senator Morse, Independent,
of Oregon, took the lead in kill
ing this move, which was elimi-
mated from the bill on the
ground that it was legislation on
an appropriation measure.
Left in the bill, however, is a
House provision which ends the
reorganization authority of the
Commissioners at the end of this
fiscal year, June 80, 1854.
The proposed outlay of $147.7
million would be about $1,055, 600
below the Senate's first version
but about $1.3 million above the
original House figure.
Lost in conference were Sen
ate proposals for a $1,000 pay
boost for the District Commits
sioners and larger amounts of
raise for the three assistant en-
! gineer commissioners.
For the operation of schools,
the conferees proposed $19,730,-
900. roughly splitting the differ
ence between the House and
Senate figures. The Senate won
it's move for $25, 5000 for purchase
and repair of musical instru-
mentS.
There was no change in the
school building program but a