Evening star., 1925-07-12
CITIZENS COUNCIL
TO TACKLE C|TY'S
LEGISLATIVE NEEDS
Budget Tasks Finished, Bills
for Congress Is Next I'M
portant Work.
FISCAL RELATIONS LAW
CHANGE TO BE PROPOSED
Street Car Merger, Borland Act and
Public Welfare Work Among
Problems.

Having completed it's work on the
budget for 1927, the Citizens Advisory
Council next will be asked by the
Commissioners to assist in formulat-
ing a definite program of District
legislation to be advocated at the next
session of Congress, Engineer Com
missioner Bell said last night.
When the council held its final con
ference with the Commissioners on
the budget yesterday. the question of
the city's legislative needs were
touched upon briefly, but Col Bell
announced that the council would not
be expected to tackle this problem
until September. which would still
leave ample time before Congress
meets for the consideration of the
many District measures left over
from the last session.
1t is Col. Bells plan TO have list
made of all the bills affecting the
District and turn it over TO the
council for a thorough study TO de
termine their relative importance and
TO aid in bringing about early pass
age of the most important ones.
Fiscal Commission Sought.
In reporting on the estimates for
next year. the Advisory Council al
ready has told the Commissioners it
favors legislation at the next session
for the appointment of a commission
TO recommend a permanent and
equitable settlement of the fiscal rela-
tions between the United States and
District governments. The council
further recommended that until such
a permanent plan becomes effective
Congress should appropriate for
Washington on a definite proportion
ate basis instead of appropriating on
the present arbitrary lump sum basis
of $4,000, 900 a year from the Federal
Government.
The Board of Trade also has urged
the Commissioners TO appeal TO Con-
greSS to return to the definite ratio
basis of dividing Capital maintenance
between the Federal and District Gov
ernments and expressed the belief that
the $3.50 law was a fair and equitable
arrangement.
From these recommends tions il
would appear that the question of
obtaining a more equitable adjustment
of fiscal relations will be one of out
standing interest TO the District at the
next session.
Borland Law to Be Tackled.
Another matter which the advisory
council undoubtedly will place high on
legislative program is the proposed
repeal or partial abrogation of the
Borland law, which assesses abutting
property owners for half the cost of
street paving.
The council has taken the position
that the Borland law should be re-
pealed, but Engineer Commissioner
Bell holds the view that that would
not be a wise move. He believes the
citizens should strive to have the as
sessment law modified. He has pro-
posed two changes: First, that prop
erty owners be relieved of the assess
ment for the resurfacing of a street
after the pavement has once worn out;
second, that the law should be clari-
fed with relation to its application in
the suburbs. where question some
times arises as to whether rural prop
erty is subject to the assessment.
Still another piece of legislation for
the council to consider is the proposal
that the Utilities Commission be re-
organized to relieve the Board of
Commissioners of some of the work it
now performs. Col. Bells plan is that
only one District Commissioner re-
main on the Utilities Board and that
Congress provide for the appointment
of lawyer and an engineer to devote
full time to utility matters.
Merger Still Problem.
The matter of a street car merger
is still under the heading of unfin-
ished District business, but Col. Bell
said yesterday that just what legisla-
ton will be proposed on this subject
in December cannot be determined
now. Congress At the last session
authorized a voluntary merger. the
| terms of which would be dependent
upon congressional approval. A COM
prehensive engineering survey is now
being made for the purpose of de-
termining the desirability of a con-
solidation.
Col Bell also is considering a bill
at the next session to eliminate one
more of the few remaining railroad
grade crossings in the District.
Under Commissioner Rudolph's
jurisdiction, the most important pend
! ing bill is the one for creation of a
board of public welfare. in which
would be consolidated the functions
now performed by several different
agencies This measure came near
| passing at the last session.
Study Begun in Winter.
The commission on public welfare
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