Evening star., 1958-07-06
Kurrick Bars
School Fare
Subsidy PIon

Commissioner David B. Kar-
rick said last night he opposed
Q public subsidy Of reduced
transit fares for school chill
dren.
Mr.. Karrick told q radio au-
dience over Station WWDC
that it would take something
far more persuasive than I
have heard" to bring him
around to the proposal.
The Commissioner said he
generally opposed both the
principle of public subsidy of a
private transit company and
the specific question of sub
sidizing the .. C. Transit Sys-
tenn, Inc, at this time.
He held that the Public Util-
tiles Commission, now consid-
ering q company request for
higher fares which includes a
proposal to fift school fares
from the present 71z cents to
10 cents, has the discretion to
grant an appropriate increase
IL the transit business profit is
not adequate.
Whatever the p. q. C. NAV
decide. he said, II would not
favor subsidizing the COM
pany."
Commissioner Robert E. Me-
Laughlin had offered q modified
subsidy proposal to d House
subcommittee studying spro-
posed legislation. Mr.. Mcr.alirh.
Inns suggestion would provide
a public subsidy for the differ
ence between the school fare
and the actual cost to the COM
pany transporting school chill
dren. Al'f
At the time Of his proposal.
Mr.. Mclaughlin reported thar
Mr.. Karrick and Commissioner
a. 9. yelling did not necessay.
uy join in his amendment.
Asks More Funds
Mr.. Karrick also insisted last
night that the proper Federal
payment toward running the
District is at least $50 million
a year. He said:
I'VE have established beyond
argument that our tax basis
including all levies is reasonably
equivalent to that Of the resi-
dents Of the other adjacent po-
litical sovereignties, so that a
further increase in any type Of
levy on District residents will
only serve to stimulate the ex.
odus Of householders and bust.
nesSeS into the suburbs"
The $206.2 million proposed
District budget for the fiscal
year begun Tuesday, still inI
HouSe-Senate conference, in.
cludes a $21.5 million Federal
payment. The Commissioners
n January viii request the sos
million residue to help finance
salary increases for city en-
ployes.
Senate Help Promised
: A number of Senators have
promised to join in an all-out
fight for the $32 million.
Mr.. Karrick expressed hope
that Senate increases in the
proposed budget for District
General Hospital would be re-
tained. He said this hope was
particularly emphatic" with |
respect to the hospital because
medical needs are integrated
With personnel needs.
For instance, he said, it does
40 good to buy an additional |
X-ray machine unless there is
} radiologist to operate it and
attendants to trans
port non-ambulatory patients
70 the machine.
Mr.. Karrick said city ofioials
Are not completely despond-
ent" about getting a new su-
oerintendent for District Gem
eral despite the low salary
which he said is insufficient to
attract "the type Of man, we
want"
The city head was not pre.
dared to say. however. that any
lew super grade" positionI
made available to the District
inder the Government pay
'oost legislation should be as
'igned to Q District General
superintendent, or whether a
generally higher salary should
,e sought.