Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-10
Hearings Open
Tomorrow on
District Budget
BY ALEX r. PRESTON

lNOAtAAAiAtOCC Will UcBlu ClOSCQ
hearings on the Districts an
nual budget tomorrow, with the
Commissioners scheduled as the
first witnesses.
On January 16, President Ell
lsenhower submitted to Congress
a request totalling $206, 843, 100
to run the Nations Capital an
other year beginning July /.
Other developments relating
to District affairs scheduled in
Congress- this week include:
l. Secretary Of the Interior
Seaton will go before a Senate
A p pr opri ations subcommittee
public hearing beginning at
1890 am. Tuesday. He will sup
port the Interior Department ap-
preparation bill already passed
by the House, totalling $454 mil
lion. This measure includes
about 81 million for the George
Washington Memorial parkway
as well as sums for several other
parks and Fairgrounds in the
District.
Public Hearing Set
2. The Fiscal Affairs subcom-
mittee Of the Senate District
Committee will hold a public
hearing at 10 am. Thursday on
legislation dealing with teacher
retirement and proposed re-
placement of the old Fourteenth
Street Bridge for southbound
traffic.
Representative Rabaut, Demo-
crat of Michigan, heads the
House Appropriations subcom-
mittee in charge of the District
budget. The executive hearings.
at which heads of various city
departments will testify, are ex-
pected to run about a week or
10 days. One or possibly two
public hearings to give WASH
ington civic leaders and other
interested parties an opportunity
to present their views will be
held after the closed sessions.
The proposed budget. which
passed the 5000 million mark for
the first time. recommends that
the annual Federal payment TO
the general fund be S23 million.
The budget would be kept in
balance by using up S6.6 million
IN surpluses accumulated from
previous years and by congress
sional authorization for SIG mil
lion in Federal loans.
/ No new taxes are contem-
plated.
S8.5 Million Increase
The budget represents an in
crease of S8.5 million over the
current fiscal year. It would
provide nearly S44 million for
schools, the largest single item.
1t proposes $226 million for new
construction of highways.
/ That figure is included in the
total capital outlay requests Of
$47.4 million. Operating expense.
would come to $l59.3 million.
The Senate Appropriation.
subcommittee hearings which
open with Secretary Seaton's ap.
lpearance on Tuesday are SEIZED
uled to continue daily through
Friday. The Interior Depart.
ment appropriation bill wa!
trimmed by $60.7 million by tn,
House.
Still remaining. however. i.
$7.2 million to complete lane
purchase and continue construc.
ton of the George Washington
Memorial Parkway on both side.
OF the Potomac River between
Mount Vernon and Great Falls
The bill also contains 81 million
for nine parks and playground,
IN the District. Other items il
the bill include funds to acquire
park land in Maryland alone
Little Falls Branch and Sligo
Creek Parks.
Other Funds Allotted
National Capital Parks wa.
given money to depress Twelfth
street through the Mall. The
Smithsonian Institution was al.
lowed funds to plan an addition
to the Natural History Museum
Senator Bible. Democrat Of
Nevada. will preside over the
Fiscal Affairs subcommittee Of
the Senate District Committee
at Thursdays hearing.
The group will consider thu
Senator's own bill designed tt
liberalize the District teacher
retirement system to bring il
more nearly in line with the
Federal system.
Also scheduled is the bill b,
District Committee Chairman
Nicely. Democrat of West Vir'
ginia. to increase the authorized
total cost of the two Fourteenth
Street Bridges to SIC million
an increase Of 81 million to re-
place the old southbound spar
over the Potomac River.