Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-20
Revised Bus Fares
Okayed for VIVA
D. c. Budget Hearing
Told Of Agency Shifts
BY GRACE BASSETT
Star Staff Writer

Star Staff Writer
The District Commissioners
opened Senate hearings on the
city budget today with assur-
ances that the health and well
fare departments have been
efficiently realigned.
This position anticipated a
thorough appraisal Of health
and welfare activities by Sem
ator Robert Byrd, Democrat Of
West Virginia.
Senator Byrd, District APP
preparations Subcommittee
chairman, called Walter N.
Tobriner, president of the Board
Of Commissioners, to summarize
spending and revenue requests.
The Commissioners seek a
budget of $326.7 million. The
House cleared a partial spend
ing bill of $284.2 million.
Since then, President Ken
nedy has asked for SALT million
more, of which $799,906 is a
restoration of original House
cuts and $40.9 million is added
spending.
Both the health and welfare
directors, DR.. Murray Grant
and Donald Brewer. have been
freed by reorganization to focus
on program planning and the
overall direction of their de-
partments, Mr.. Tobriner said.
Ask Hospital GO-Ahead
He asked Senator Byrd for
special permission to go ahead
with the construction at Dis
trict General Hospital, deleting
obstetrics, landscaping, labora-
tory, elevator and laundry re-
modelling. The cutback was
forced by construction costs Of
$3.5 million above estimates.
A birth control program re-
fused by the House should be
expanded by $4,000, Mr.. To-
briner said. He wants contra
ceptives and birth control in
formation given to women who
ask for it in public maternity
clinics.
Mr.. Tobriner also urged the
committee to back a $50 million
, Federal payment to the Dis
trict.
Congress recently raised the
ceiling for the annual Federal
grant to the city from $32 mill
lion to $50 million. In his state
ment, Mr.. Tobriner said that
approval of the fully authorized
sum would enable the District
: to maintain a fiscal balance
, in financing its needed spend
ing requests.
Try to Bar Tax Rise
The Commissioner told Sem
ator Byrd's subcommittee that
the city expects to end the
fiscal year with about $2.6 mil
lion in the general fund-the
major bookkeeping category.
THE maintaining of the
stable balance is essential If
we are to avoid additional
taxes (fiscaD in 1865 and
submit the budget for that
year as one package" Mr..
: Tobriner said.
The Commissioners state
ment carried a request for
restoration of 100000 of the
IS, 295,00O cut by the House.
During an outline of the
city's spending proposals, Mr..
Tobriner told the subcom-
mittee:
/. The District is trying to
! strengthen the law enforce
ment by hiring 100 additional
policemen to bring the force up
to 5000 men. Also requested
! is money to increase the
canine corps from rs to 100
teams.
2. A $262,700 fund is re-
quested to pay for the expanded
duties of the Board of Elec-
tons during next years presi-
Dental voting. The city esti-
mates that the board could
expect 100000 voters in the
May primaries and 100000 in
the November general election.
Senator Byrd was told that
relief rolls have continued to
shrink this past year. The
total welfare case load dropped
by 1922 cases from 1871 to
1O,349 between July, 1862, and
July, 1868.
The greatest decline was in
categories Senator Byrd in