Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-20
BUDGET
BUDGET
D. c. Heads to Chart
Emergency Program
Continued Prom First Pags

Continued From First Page
measures are closely bound to-
gether would result in some IS
million In new reductions In
the 1860 spending plans below
what the House approved.
which totaled $237 million.
The cuts could also have the
effect of virtually cancelling
out the benefit Of the extra So
million Federal payment which
the House approved for the new
year and could virtually cancel
out 1860 plans for hiring some
500 new employees which abe
Appropriations Committee a.
week ago approved.
Attuned 70 Criticism
Little explanation was Of
fered by the Thomas subcomI
mittee for its sharp budget
surgery. But the action was in
tune with recent congressional
criticisms Of the Districts
financial requests. Appropria-
tons Committee members have
complained about District pleas
for more Federal assistance and
said residents should pay
higher taxes.
The Appropriations Commit
tee last week proposed that the
city increase its real estate and
business property taxes.
The reductions in the city
estimates proposed today went
virtually across the board. COW
ering almost all city depart
ments. Schools were cut nearly
81 million: police, 1854 900: the
Fire Department. $253.750;
Health, $4,000; Welfare,
$303,250; Recreation. $4,000;
Courts, $81,750;, Highway De-
partment. $85,500 and more
than a dozen other depart
ments by varying amounts
ranging up to nearly 100000
apiece.
Although, the unit allowed
$1l,947.139 of the $l5.305, 900
originally requested. and the
slashes totalled $3,357,801.
No Alternative Offered
The District will have no
choice, If the committee action
is sostained. but to lower ex-
penditures in all affected de-
partments, officials said.
These cuts would presumably
follow Immediately on final
Congressional action on the
supplemental bill.
Ironically, all but some 81
million of the SIS million In
the original District request
was for pay raises which Con-
gresss voted, not at the Dis
trict'S initiative, along with
raises for Federal employees
last summer. The city is OBJ
liged to pay the salaries SCI
by law, so layoffs big enough to
save the needed funds would
be unavoidabl under the rec.
commended bill, officials said.
IF this cut is not restored
there is no question:" one Of
fetal said, that it will near
widespread layoffs for the
balance of this year and fol
all of next year for a lesser
number"
Senate Appeal Likely
It is expected that city lead
ers will seek help when tn,
supplemental measure goes Il
the House floor, probably Mon
day or Tuesday. There is alsI
certain to be an appeal to th'
Senate If any such efforts fail
The Thomas group itsel
said the recommended $2.5 mil
lion supplemental Federal pay
ment would meet only part o
the added salary costs which
Congress itself put on the Dis
trict. The unit said the rest o
the cost woul dhave to be alb
Sorbed within the city's exist
ing budget.
The committee said the cit,
had proposed to absorb only
little over 100000 and tina
this was not enough.
Payless Payday Feared
The proposed cuts coul,
play hob with such things a
the school systems long cam
paign to reduce class sizes, wei
fare improvements and man
other city services, official
said. The school reduction o
over 1858, 1000, for example
averages out to about half
months pay for each schoc
teacher, officials said. The
added this might raise the pros
pect Of payless payday in lat
June If teachers chose TO sta
on the job instead Of bein
furloughed.
The police department ais
would be especially hard hi
according to city leaders.
The Commissioners took
special state Of the Nation
capital report to the Congress
both this year and last yea
in an, effort to convince tn