Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-03
CityHeads Testify
On Budget Proposal
Added Revenue
Won't Take City
Out Of the Red
BY GRACE BASSETT
Star staff Writer

The District Commissioners
went into closed House Budget
hearings today with more reve-
nue. than they had expected in
January, but not enough to
pull the city out of the red
next year.
Some So million has heen
found in additional tax reve-
nues and savings since the
city budget was submitted to
Congress.
Yet, a request for spending Of
this windfall-slated mostly for
schools-cannot be discussed
officially before the District
Appropriations Subcommittee,
headed by Representative Nat
cher, Democrat Of Kentucky.
Expanded spending is to be
tackled onto a second budget.
withheld until Congress acts
on increased Federal payments
and loans.
Chairman hatcher is taking
testimony on the first, so-called
"A" budget, now totalling
S288.8 million.
Second Budget
The second, or "B" budget,
amounts to 1898 million.
The total of the two. 1921
million, is about $24 million
more than revenues in sight to
finance a city government with
40 separate agencies.
Mr.. hatcher has indicated
that he will limit consideration
to the first budget until rev.
enue legislation reaches the
point" where added spending
merits study. This point could
be when House District Com
mittee members indicate in
formally to Appropriations
committeeman what Federal
! payments or loans, if any. viii
: be recommended to the House.
A flat, annual Federal pay
ment between $40 and $45 mil
lion and loan ceiling of SIS
million appeared to be favored
by District committeeman over
President Kennedy's recon-
. mendation for a payment and
loan formula gearing Federal
; aid to local tax rates.
I'VE will give careful con
sideration to every department
request and report an adequatl
! budget for the District to thu
House." Chairman hatcher
. said. before hearings opened.
He has promised repeatedly
to demand proof from city Of
ficials that at least two high
way projects -the Three Sisters
Bridge and Potomac River
Freeway - should be delayed
before he will agree TO their
absence from the budget. Presi-
dent Kennedy has asked for
a delay Of the two projects un-
til they can be assessed with
administration proposals for a
co-ordinated transit system for
the Metropolitan Area.
Acting Welfare Director
Donald Brewer and Building
and Grounds Director James
Blaser accompanied Commits
sioners Walter N. Tobriner.
John Duncan and Frederick j.
Clark and their budget aides
into the House hearing. This
indicated that discussion viii
: center on planned new con-
struction of a 20-room cottage
! at Children's Center, a new
school, three cottages and a
, storage building at Junior VII
lage, four cottages at the Dis
trict Training School ard other
!, facilities at the Maple Glen
I and Cedar Knoll School.
/, TOuriSm Pushed
Edward r. Carr, appearing
! for the Washington Conven-
ton and Visitors Bureau. asked
for $4,000 to help promote
tourism in the Nations Capital.
Local buinessmen have PROM
Used to match appropriated
funds five TO one. Similar
partnerships between Congress
and the community for the
past two years have yielded a
return from visitors here OF
sl,400 for every dollar invested,
: Mr.. Carr said. He recon-
J, mended the appropriation as
S lone of the finest investments
}. this committee could make for
e the District Of Columbia.