Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-16
Funds
Due DC. Asked
For Sc|looIsNow
! SIS Million Deficit
Needed for Building
Drive, Korrick Says

Congress should clear UP q
SIS million deficit in authorized
Federal contributions to the Dis.
trict over the last three years by
appropriating the money for inn
mediate construction of elemen-
tary schools, Commissioner David
B. Karrick said last night.
AS passed by the Senate. the
Districts appropriation bill for
the fiscal year beginning July
contains only sos million of the
$23 million authorized Federal
payment.
Mr.. Karrick said in a talk
over Radio Station WWDC that
should that amount be finally
approved, the District over the
three recent fiscal years would
be SIS million short of the $23
million annual authorizations.
The Federal paymenr was $21
million in 1856 and $40 million
in 1857, he recalled.
Offers Solution
Since recent plans to author
ize borrowing for construction
have run into opposition from
the United States Treasury. Mr..
Karrick offered this solution
to the Districts present finan-
cial perplexity:
Let Congress clear up this
deficit of SIS million in the
three recent annual Federal
contributions by appropriating
that sum for the immediate con-
struction of needed elementary
schools"
The Commissioner said the
amount probably would be as
much as would and could be used
in the immediate future under a
borrowing program, however ex-
tensive.
And during the period needed
for planning. acquiring sites.
construction. and so forth, the
Districts population trends
would be more thoroughly studied
so that we would be better in
formed in the future as to the
needs of a program Of credit A.
nancing for additional facilities"
he said.
MY principal reason for this
suggestion is a fear lest this
SIS million, a deficiency in the
authorizations which were the
subject of a gentlemen's agree
ment between Congress and the
District Government, be eventu-
ally lost to the taxpayers of the
District with the lapse Of
years :"
Although theoretically the
amounts may be appropriated
subsequently, II am concerned
that this will not happen" Mr..
Karrick said.
Since the need for elementary
schools here is admitted and
Overwhelming" the Commits
sioner said his suggestion would
eliminate Congress objection to
appropriating to and for a Dis
trict surplus.
Pastore Sees Surplus
Before the Senate'S vote, there
was a sharp debate during which
five members of the Senate Dis
trict Committee tried to per-
suade the Senate it should live
up to the bargain it made last
year when it raised District
taxes to finance the big public
works program and authorized a
$23 million Federal payment.
i But Senator PaStore. Demo-
crat of Rhode Island, convinced
the Senate that there would be
a surplus of about $4.4 million at
the end Of next year. In addi-
ton, Senator Dirksen, Republic
can of Illinois. insisted Congress
had dealt well with the District
and the city could get along I'M
der the pending bill, even with
the SOS million Federal pay
ment.
Mr.. Karrick said last night
that even though it may have
been originally contemplated
that the Federal money should
be used for running expenses Of
the District. I'm the present pre-
! dicament it would seem to me
weh to adopt measures to assure
that we get it and use it. rather
than to continue it as q prom
Use. And as we have a definite
need now, why not use it now
for that need?"
Mr.. Karrick stressed that his
suggestion was his personal idea
and had not been discussed by
his colleagues on the Board of