Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-25
Dent Of 81 Million
Seen in City Budget
II U. 5. Raises Pay
Bx John w. Stepp

Passage Of the pending bill to
raise the pay of Federal CLASH
fed employees by about S per cent
would put a dent more than
So million deep in District A.
nances, according to unofficial
estimates obtained yesterday.
The pay raise measure was ap-
proved last Friday by the Sen
ate Civil Service Committee.
Traditionally, pay increases
granted Federal workers are also
provided District government
employees.
Top District officials privately
concede that the impact Of the
pay bill would be severe on the
chemically shaky general fund.
Only three days ago. District
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
warned that he anticipates a
mere So million cushion" avail
able to meet operational cost
increases going into fiscal 1855
which begins next July !. And
this sum. he said. would be con-
sumed by the so-called "nlanda-
tory cost increases over which
the Commissioners have no con-
troll.
Other Demands Expected.
While the city actually antici-
pates d $3.4 million surplus By
the end Of fiscal 1855 only 81
million will be available to alb
serb 1856 cost increases over
1866. The remaining STA million
is earmarked to Offset a pre-
dicted drop in revenues below
the 1855 levels.
Looking beyond the effects Of
the pay bill, local authorities find
still more cause for worry. They
fear that II the classified en-
ployes get q pay boost, other
categories such as school teach
ers, police and firemen may de-
mand the same.
Something Of q pattern Of
that nature seems to have been
forming in recent years. Four
years ago all District workers
got pay increases totaling 81
million annually. Two years later
police, firemen and teachers pre-
vailed on Congress to approve
another "a million in pay for
themselves alone. Last year the
per diem workers won increases
of nearly 81 million.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss.
District Engineer Commissioner,
was asked about the prospects In
a radio interview last night. IF
the money isn't available" he
said, "the only thing to do Is
raise taxes"
No Leapfrog Came
On the possibility of other en-
ploye categories applying pres
sure for pay hikes If and when
the classified get theirs. Gen.
Prentiss pointed out the pay
increases Of recent years. Then,
he declared:
"This is not q game OF leap
frog where as soon as one group
leans over the other they all
leap again"
Mr.. Fowler issued his warning
in instructions to District gov
eminent department heads to
limit their fiscal 1866 budget es-
Inmates to the barest essentials.
Gen. Prentiss in his radio talk
said he is sure the department
heads will follow this admonish-
ment to the letter.
The 5 per cent pay hike bill
would place the Commissioners
in the unhappy position Of find
ing their expected 81 million
cushion for fiscal 1856 dissipated
They would then have to solve
the problem Of laying hands on
another So million to pay for the
mandatory cost increases during
1866. These include such in
escapable items as the ever
rising costs Of Saint Elizabeths
Hospital and the courts.
With the pay legislation as q
backdrop, at least one thing APP
peared certain. The Commis-
sioners win perform surgery on
the departmental requests as
never before.