Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
CITIZENS APPROVE
CIVIC CENTER BILL
Advisory Council FroWns on
Amendment as Burden
to Taxpayers.

The Citizens Advisory Council last
night approved the Simmons bill au-
thorizing construction of a municipal
center opposite Judiciary Square. The
Simmons bill proposes the purchase of
land running back only to c street,
but the councilmen were advised that
the House District committee had re-
ported the bill out with an amendment
which would include land fronting on
Pennsylvania avenue. This, they con-
sidered, would place too great a burden
on the taxpayers of the District. and
decided not TO favor the amendment
If the District buys these squares.
William A Roberts pointed out, when
the Memorial Highway to the new Ar
lngton Bridge is constructed along the
line of B street, the Federal Govern
ment will require an easement through
the land for widening B street and
the District never could hope to get
back what it spent for the land.
Stengle Reads Report on Bill.
A report on the bill. prepared by
Charles l. Stengle of Petworth, reads
i'll part: Early this year. our chief Of
f1cials mapped out a most ambitious
program for the establishment of
municipal center, provision being made
to take over, by condemnation or other
wise, of very large strip of expensive
land along Pennsylvania avenue and
two blocks back of it. From the stand
point of civic beauty and the improve
ment of the Nations main street. both
the thought and the action merited ap-
proval of all Americans.
But can we, as municipality, get
ting so little aid from Congress, af-
ford to carry the financial load that
the carrying out of this program would
create? And Go we. as a municipality,
really need so much land for many
years to come on which to erect build
ings for the housing of District ac-
tivities?
IF the Simmons bill is enacted into
law. sufficient funds are obtainable at
once from a surplus amounting to
$6,000,000, and growing so fast that
within two years it will amount to up
wards of $10,O00000. To provide for
the purchase of the larger plot. as
mapped out by our chief officials,
would, well informed experts tell us,
call for upwards of S35, 100000, which
would of course, mean additional tax
alton"
School Fund Also Favored.
The council also went on record as
favorjng the Simmons bill authorizing
appropriation of $10,000,000 for school
sites and buildings for an indefinite
number of years, and as opposing the
Zihlman bill, sponsored by the Board
of Education, for second five-year
building program. The report on these
bills, also written by Mr.. Stengle. held
that it was not wise. in view of the
sudden and unpredictable changes in
population drifts, to decide on the loca-
ton for school five years in advance
of its construction. The report also
favored a general fund which would
allow the school board to buy sites
wherever, in its judgment, they were
needed, rather than to secure con-
gressional authorization for each site.
Mr. Stengle sought to have the coun-
ell call on members of the House
District committee and seek to persuade
them to accept the amendments to the
street car merger resolution made in
the recent report of the subcommittee
of the Senate District committee study
ing-the merger. Mr.. Roberts opposed
this, and said the council ought to
wait until the full District committee
reports to the Senate, to see Wheeler
the report favorS the Blaine amendment
to the merger pact, calling for valua-
tions Of the merged company to be
made on the prudent investment" the
DRY. The matter was not voted on,
but both sides agreed to Chairman
George Havenner'S suggestion that he
would call a special meeting of the
council as soon as the full Senate COM
mittee report is made.