Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-16
capper Believes Plan Would
Ease Financing of Mu-
nicipal Center.
TREASURY TO BE REPAID
IN is INSTALLMENTS
PROPOSAL to Go Before Senate Dis
trict Committee-Interest
Charge Stipulated.

A plan under which the Federal Gov
eminent would loan the District $15,-
600 900 for the development of the
Municipal Center in order to spread the
cost of this large project over a longer
period of years has been prepared BY
Chairman Capper of the Senate Dis
trict committee.
The advances would be made by
Uncle Sam as required, to go forward
with the Municipal Center program
and paid back by the District at the
rate of 81, 000,o00 year. with interest
at 81 per cent. This would spread
over a 15-year period the cost of &C
quiring the four squares on the north
side of Pennsylvania avenue, and prob
ably the first two buildings in the
center.
A bill to accomplish this purpose by
amending the Municipal Center law
was completed by Senator Capper late
yesterday, and today was in the hands
of the District committee for considera-
ton at an early meeting.
WOuIo Ease FINANCES.
The principal effect of the bill would
be to avoid the necessity of placing a
drain on the current revenues of the
District in attempting to meet the cost
Of going ahead rapidly with the devel-
opment of the Municipal Center, and
probably would tend to lessen mate
rally the likelihood of an increase in
the tax rate durin~ the next few years.
It has been estimated that the land
for the municipal center will cost ap-
proximately 100000 One of the first
buildings likely to go up In the area
will be the court structure to house the
Police, Juvenile and Municipal Courts
together with the recorder Of deeds
This building is expected to cost in the
neighborhood of $4,000, 900 and will be
placed at the north end of the area.
There is to be an administration
building for the general Offices Of the
municipal department on the Pennsyl-
vania avenue frontage which Is ex-i
pected TO cost approximately $4,000
900. The land for the entire area and
these two buildings would total sonie-
thing over s2o.ooO,ooo.
simmons Bin Pending.
There is a bill pending in the House.
however, introduced by Representative
Simmons, under which the Federal
Government would pay the District for
the present District Building, which is
to be taken over by the United States
as part of the Federal building layout
In the triangle. It is understood that
$5,000000 would be allowed for this
purpose.
Congress last year appropriated So
o00,0 900 to begin purchase of the land
for the municipal center, bounded by
Third and Sixth streets, Pennsylvania
and Louisiana avenues.
The District appropriation bill, as
passed by the House recently, carried
another 100000 toward the acquisi-
ton of land.
Senator Capper said this afternoon
he probably would lay the bill before
the District committee at its meeting
Friday The Senator also said he in
troduced the bill after a discussion of
the matter with members of the Senate
appropriations committee. Senator
Capper said the bill was based on the
theory that the cost of these large
projects was being piled up too high
within a short period of years.