Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-24
Congress 10 Receive
S3O5 Million District
Works Plan tuesday
By George Beveridqe

District officials on Tuesday.
after nearly two years of study
and revision. will take to Con-.
. greSS their case for a long range
public works program.
, FiSca. subcommittee of the
House and Senate District Com
mitteeS have set aside four days
in Joint session to hear official
and citizen leaders testify on a
bill to provide revenues to carry
out the $685. million. 10 year
Improvement program.
Asks So Million Increase.
The financing plan has
changed drastically since 1859.
when it was proposed by a citi-
zens' committee ION the basis of
needs cited by District officials.
In its present form. its high
lights include a 50 million in
crease in the annual Federal
: payment. about $40 million
more in taxes and interest bear
ing Federal loans of about SLOT
million.
Appropriations for specific
projects in the improvement pro-
gram must be justified each year.
The Districts S141.2 million
budget for the fiscal year start
ing July 1.-The first year of the
proposed works program is
stripped of more than half
the capital outlay expenditures
planned. Not until Congress acts
%pn the public works-revenue bill
will the District ask for the
added 1855 construction appro-
pFiations.
Ask Is Hours for Presentation.
District Building officials have
asked for eight hours to present
their public works proposals on
Tuesday and Wednesday. 1t
appears likely, however. that
questions and answers will carry
their testimony into either
1engthier sessions or a third day.
The two days following have
been set aside for citizen wit
neSSeS.
The District Commissioners
will open the testimony. Com
missioners Samuel Spencer and
Renah Camalier will make brief
statements. Engineer Commits
;sioner Louis w. Prentiss will de-
scribe the history and need of
the program, current financing
possibilities. and the necessity
for additional revenues.
After this introduction. Dis
trict department heads each will
present the part his organiZa-
ton has in the program. In each
. instance. financing proposals.
as well as justification for the
proposed construction-will be
discussed together. The depart
ment heads testimony will range
from 10 to about 40 minutes.
In lengthier discussions,
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
and Finance Officer James L.
Martin will explain the history
and future prospects of program
as it affects their departments.
Primary aims of these discus
Sions will be to show how re-
quirements of District Funds
have outstripped revenues, and
reasons why the Commissioners
have agreed upon the specific
solution proposed.
Ready For All Questions.
Il feel we are now in a posi-
ton to lay our complete story
before Congress" Gen. PrentiSs
said. Il think we have all the
information ready to answer any
questions"
Gen. Prentiss said he was APP
preciative that Federal Budget
; Bureau officials have spent
many hours working with our
staff in arriving at thorough
understanding of the program
land in recommending modifica-
Mons that have permitted it to
obtain the recommendation of
the director of the Bureau of
stne Budget"
In his budget message to Con-
gress last week. President Eisen-
$hower strongly urged a long.
sanse works program, to make