Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-18
City HeadsAsk
Restoration OF
ST. Million Cut
Senate Unit Opens
Budget Hearings;
$170 Million Sought
By Don S. Worren

OCA1dtO ouOOOA14A4A1IVCC A1Cd4 44ASO
on the Districts 1855 supply bill
were opened today with request
from the Commissioners that the
Senate restore to the bill little
more than half of the nearly
"a million cuts in the spending
program made by the House.
The city heads, led by Com
missioner Samuel Spencer, be-
gan presentation of Qualifications
for a program calling for the
outlay of $17O,771,014. This
would be $1.8 million below the
estimates but $2,019,096 above
the figure approved by the House.
Commissioner Spencer ex-
planned that all of the requests
for reservations were for oper-
ating expenses. Brig. Gen. Louis
w. PrentisS. Engineer Commits
sioner, said there was no request
for restoring capital improve
ment items, since the program
could be adjusted to fit with the
House action on these items.
Would Create Surplus.
The opening statement Of the
Commissioners made clear that
if the Senate restores the re-
quested $21 million of the House
cuts, the District still would wind
up the next fiscal year with Q
comfortable surplus in all of the
several funds. This would be so.
in part. because the House, by q
roll-call vote of 1876 to 1853, on
Tuesday rejected a move by the
House Appropriations Commit
Tee to cut the Federal payment
from $40 million to SIG million.
The Federal payment was
boosted from Sill million to $40
million under an authorization
under the District Public Works
Revenue Act which also called
for new or increased District
taxes amounting to nearly SIS
million in order to finance the
city's long delayed capital i'm
provementS program.
District officials we're given Q
sympathetic hearing as the Sem
ate subcommittee examination Of
the bill was opened under the
Craftsmanship of Senator Dirk
sen, Republican. of Illinois.
Sitting with him was Senator
Beall, Republican, of Maryland.
Also attending the meeting as
an observer for Senator Case,
Republican, of South Dakota was
Robert C. Albrook, clerk of the
Senate District Committee. Sen.
ator Case, as chairman of the
Senate District Committee, is am
eX-off1cio member of the Dis
trict subcommittee of the Senate
Appropriations Committee where
he and two other members Of
tine District Committee have
votes on the District supply bill.
Asks General Picture.
At the outset, Chairman Dirk
sen asked the leading city Of
ficials to give the subcommittee
a general picture of the pro-
posed spending program and
prospective revenues to cover the
cost. During this general discus
sion. both Senators Dirksen and
Beall stated that they would sup
port without question the full $40
million Federal payment as the
Federal share of the cost OF the
development program.
On the question of the Fed
eral payment, Senator DirkSen
addressed this question to Gen.
Prentiss: "If we do not further
profane this matter of the Fed
eral contribution by letting IL
stand at $40 million, will that
be perfectly satisfactory to you?"
Gen. PrentiSS. agreed.
Senator Dirksen added: "AS
for the chairman, I might say
he is ready in all conscience to
approve that $40 million. 1t was
an agreement made in good
faith and should be observed. It
will therefore be unnecessary for
wires and kilograms to be sent
to the chairman in support OF
it."
Quick support was voiced by
Senator Beall. who declared. in
reference to the $40 million Fed
(See BUDGET, Page A-3.)