Evening star., 1926-12-06
EQUITABLE FISCAL !.
RELATIONS ARE AIM
OF COMMISSIONERS
CONTINUED from First Page.)

consideration by the National Cap1tal
Park and Planning Commission.
"Such consideration" the Commits
sioners commented, "should be to the
library's advantage in the building OF
branch libraries The first branches
in the public schools will be estab-
lished during the coming year at
Chevy Chase and Tenleytown. These
subbranches will be opened on alter
nate days and one librarian will be in
charge of both. The increase OF
$34, 200 in appropriations for the COM
ing year will also make possible small
increases in personnel, Sunday and
holiday opening, the binding fund and
in repairs to and equipment OF build
ings to the extent of 100000"
Central Police Station.
Referring to the activities Of the
Police Department, the Commissioners
again urged the erection Of q modern.
up-to-date building as central police
station and headquarters, and the
erection of a modern garage and re.
pair shop for the motor vehicles OF the
department.
Recommendations also are made for
the transfer Of the SO crossing police
men to the permanent rolls OF the
police force and the payment OF their
salaries out of public funds rather
than from the street car companies;
enactment of a fugitive law; q law
forbidding the purchase of and poss r.s-
sion of deadly weapons in the District;
vagrancy law with teeth In 1t, and
the establishment of magistrate courts
in the police stations for the disposal
of minor cases of violations of the mu-
nicipal regulations.
hn MI OF nf n.
struction program Of the Highway
Department, the report declared, was
made possible by the gasoline tax.
which amounted last year to more
than $1,250,000.
Index of Expansion.
This and other increments," the
report continued added more than
$500, 900 to the total annual expendi-
lures in excess of the preceding years
total. Although the rate of execution
of the work authorized to be paid Tor
from the gas tax was necessarily llm-
tied by the rate of collection OF the
tax, all work authorized was under
contract and nearing completion at
the end of the fiscal year.
Somewhat more liberal approprta.
tions permitted a more adequate pro-
gram of resurfacing Of asphalt pave
ments, and the funds provided for the
coming year by Congress reflect q
recognition Of the need of replacing
at an early date the large area OF
these paveinents whose condition. due
to extreme age, plainly calls for such
action in the interest of public safety
and comfort.
THE repairing Of cuts made in pave
ments for underground installations
reached total cost Of $505,000 during
the year. an increase of $4,000 over
the preceding year and of $135.00O
over that next preceding. This Is
manifestly a reflection Of expansion
of various services and of building
activity.
1.-THE funds for repairs to suburban
roads and suburban streets were $297,-
500, and the appropriation for grading
streets, alleys and roads was $4,000.
The upkeep of suburban roads is con.
stantly increasing in cost per unit OF
area, due to like increase in the
number and average axle load of
vehicles. The total area Of suburban
roads maintained was increased dur
ing the year by additions Of newly
opened streets whose area was 40 per
cent of the area of pavements laid
within the suburban area. The funds
for repairs are thus charged with an
augmented unit cost and an increased
aroa m ha maintained