Evening star., 1927-03-19
EXTENDS SANITARY
COMM|SS|ONPOWER
Legislative Bill Makes Bond
Issue Possible for Burnt
Mills Plant.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.


bill amending the Washington SUB
urban Sanitary Commission organic
act has been introduced in the House
of the Maryland Legislature by the
Montgomery and Prince Georges
County delegations. There has been
considerable discussion and conferrlng
between the members of the commits
. sion and the members of the delega-
tions representing the two counties
over the details of this measure, and
the bill introduced Yesterday purportS
to be a compromise measure agree
able to all parties concerned. The
measure is changed somewhat from
the tentative bill prepared by the
Scmmission, and is designed princi-
pally to meet certain objections of
Senator l.. G. Sasscer and other mem
bers of the Prince Georges County
delegation.
It's principal provision is to author
iZe the commission to increase the
limit in bonds which it may issue for
extending water and sewer lines
This includes authority for a special
bond issue of 100000 for the con-
struction of the water supply project
known as the Burnt Mills filter plant
, and pumping station and any other
supply plants that the sanitary com
mission shall decide to construct The
Burnt Mills project Is TO be enlarged
by the construction of a dam there
for the impounding of water for serv-
ice to the people Of the two counties.
Many Provisions Made.
The proposed legislation also pro
vides for the annual audit of the ac-
counts of the commission by the State
auditor; extends to the commission
The right to levy money to meet
judgments or to adjust threatened or
pending legislation, which provision
will make the Sanitary Commission
Namenable to suit; prohibits the COM
mission from condemning land used
Tor cemetery purposes; raises the |
limit of the amount of bonds which |
the commission is authorized to issue |
from II to IA per cent of the total !
tLsSessable basis of all property as |
sessed for county taxation purposes |
within the sanitary district, and con- |
tnues the required approval of the |
Public Service Commission Of Mary |
land for additional bond issues.
This increase in the bond limit will, |
1t is said, give the commission suffi- |
cient funds with which to make the |
necessary extension of water and |
sewer lines, which are now being ask !
ed for in every part Of the sanitary |
district, and which have been held up |
Tor lack of money since last Fall. 1t |
also will provide for the construction |
of the trunk sewers now said to be |
badly needed within the sanitary dis |
trict, and more particularly these |
, funds enable the construction of |
trunk sewer from Riggs Meadow, in |
Prince Georges County, through the !
Mount Rainier and BladenSburg Sec |
tion to below tidewater in the Eastern |
Branch of the Potomac, and from the |
Kensington, Woodside and Chevy |
NI.<.r H.. 7 x.1I-
ley of Montgomery County to the in |
terceptor sewer of the District of Co. |
lumbia at the District line, as well as
provide a trunk sewer from Seven |
Oaks, on the Colesville pike, to Sligo
avenue, a half a mile north of the
town of Takoma Park.
Provides Permanent Tax.
1t also provides that the front foot
benefit tax shall be levied upon the APP
proXimate cost of construction as an
integral part of the whole system. The
measure also carries a provision that
the front foot benefit tax, once levied,
cannot be changed. and ratifies and
confirms the front foot benefit taxes
as levied on December 81, 1926. This
would ward off litigation, as the com
mission now is being attacked in the
courts for increasing the assessment
after having once levied it, 1t provides T;
that property owners in GaitherSburg
and Washington Grove shall pay full
charges of operation of the system
there until it is connected up with
the general system. These two towns
now are served from a separate syS-
tenn.
Exemption of State, county and
municipal property, public parks, play
grounds and volunteer fire depart
ments from the front foot benefit
ak1a Iad in ha
ure, and the fire departments are also
exempted from the water consumption
tax.
The measure requires that the treas
urerS of Prince Georges and Mont |
gomery Counties shall send out the
water rent and sewer bills as a part
of the county tax bills, and provides
that the Sanitary Commission shall |
pay for the additional clerk hire Incl
dent to this work.
Under the provisions of the bill, if |
enacted, the commission could re-
quire property owners to connect
their houses with the water and
sewer lines, when in the determina
ton Of the commission il would create
"A nuisa nee not TO do so. This sec
,ion makes provision for notice and
hearing to the property owner. and
right of appeal to the county COM
missioners. However, If the latter
order the connection, failure to do so
Is made "A misdemeanor and punish
able under the present laws of
Maryland.
Provides for Salaries.
Issuance of bonds is provided for
In the measure for the purpose OF
building incinerators for the destruc-
lion of garbage and refuse. and the
installation of a garbage and refuse
collection service. The sections re-
ceiving the service would be the only
ones TO be taxed for it. AS written
in the new draft ii is believed that
this provision win meet the objec
tions of the Prince Georges County
delegation, as 1t does not make the |
Introduction OF this service manda-
tory. There has been a demand in
the metropolitan area of Montgomery
County for this service but opposi-
tion 10 it in Prince Georges County.
Funds collected from the sale of sal
vaged materials taken from the coll !
lected refuse are TO be applied to- /
ward the payment of the service.
The measure also provides that |
the governor of the State designate |
one Of the commissioners appointed |
by the county commissioners OF |
either county as chairman, at salary |
of SO 000 a year. and for the designa |
ton by the governor of another MEM
ber OF the commission. after appoint
rnent by the county commissioners, |
10 give all of his time and attention |
TO the duties of the commission, |
such as supervising and superintend-
ing operations, at an annual salary |
Of S4,S00. The third member of the |
commission who is to be appointed |