Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-08
House Group Hears Pleas
For Extra Payment to DC.
Closed Session
Conducted on
Funds for City


committee today launched into
Ia one-day executive hearing to
consider pleas of many District
officials for appropriation Of
funds for next fiscal year, in
GLIDING an extra So million for
the Federal payment to the Dis
trict government. This would
bring the total payment to $23
million.
Representative Rabaut, Demo-
crat Of Michigan, chairman. said
he hoped to complete the hear1
ing late this afternoon.
The details before the COM
mittee were not disclosed, be-
cause the official documents on
the supplemental estimates are
still in the Budget Bureau and
have not been forwarded to
Congress by the President.
Many District Witnesses
Mr.. Rabaut said he had not
yet been informed of the total
estimates. Little information
about the figures could be dis
closed. the chairman said.
Witnesses included the Dis.
trict Commissioners, their prin-
cipal aides and department
heads.
From the size of the crowd
awaiting outside the closed door
committee room, it seemed that
the supplementals under con-
sideration apparently were from
many if not most of the Dis
trict agencies.
Mr.. Rabaut said the proposed
So million additional Federal
share had not been reached dur
ing the morning session. But
he hoped to get to it this after
noon.
NoncommittaI on Action
Without predicting. what &C
ton his committee would take
on this figure, the chairman in.
dicated that the amount to be
approved for the supplementals
probably would be governed
somewhat by the action taken
on the Federal payment fund.
The So million would raise the
Federal payment for the fiscal
year beginning July to 500
million. The extra money is
needed to finance proposed pub
lie works, along with an increase
lin the District realty tax rate
from 1920 to $3.50 per $100
valuation and returns from other
tax increases.
Details of the other supple
Iment requests for next fiscal
year were not announced last
night. Earlier, however, Dis
Itrict officials said they planned
to submit atpublic works pro-
gram amounting to about $13
million. Not all of this would be
chargeable to city finances in
the ensuing fiscal year.
Not in Estimates
J, Such a public works budget
was not included in the regular
1857 District estimates last jan
uary because, at that time, the
District did not have the money
Ito cover it.
Since then, Congress has en-
acted the new revenue law rails
ing wide variety of taxes, and
increasing the authorized Fed
eral payment from $40 million
to $23 million.
Among other supplement items
believed to be pending before
the Rabaut subcommittee was
about 81 million to pay for
salaries of enough additional
Metropolitan Police to bring the
total Of the force up p. TO the
recently legislated $500 men.
Meanwhile, the House yester-
day sent to conferees the annual
appropriation bill for the Dis
Itrict. Conferees from House
and Senate will get down to
business at a meeting sched-
uled tentatively for 2 pm. Tues
day to resolve differences be-
tween the Senate and House
versions of the measure
Senate Raised Funds
The bill passed the House at
$179.7 million but was increased
by the Senate to $181.6. When
conferees iron out the differ
ences, the conference report
will be sent to both House and
Senate foi final action by Con-
gress. which then will forward
the bill to the President for his
signature.
! Conferees named by the House
yesterday were members of the
Rabaut Appropriations Subcom.
mittee. Democratic Representa-
tives Passman of Louisiana and
hatcher of Kentucky and Re-
publican Representatives Wilson
of Indiana and James Of Penn
Isylvania. Ex-officio members Of
tine conference from the House
will be Chairman Cannon of the
full House Appropriations Com.
mittee and Representative raber
of New York. ranking Repub-
lican member.
Conferees recently appointed
by the Senate include Subcom-
mittee Chairman Stennis, Demo.
crat Of Mississippi; Democratic
Senators Mcclellan of Arkansas.
johnson Of Texas, Bible Of Me-
vada, Frear Of Delaware and
Republican Senators Dirksen Of
Illinois, Young Of North Dakota
and Beall Of Maryland.