The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-08-21

COIuldl dppllCdt1OH lOE dAA OuL. right grant of $1,957,200 from the federal government under the pro- visions of the public works section of the MIRA for highway constuc- tion in addition to the states $2,1 865,740 direct appropriation under the highway section was made to board by Highway Commissioner John A. Macdonald Saturday.
 At the same time Commissioner Macdonald submitted to the board for tentative approval an expen- sixe program of highway building. consisting of thirty-two different projects which measure 140.8 miles in length, sections of which are located in every county in the state. This program, he estimated, would cost approximately $6,524,- 900, thirty percent of which would be financed with the $1,957,200 federal grant.
 Application for the grant and submission of the program was made through State Aid Agent w. E., Hulse of the highway depart ment at a conference with board Chairman Archibald McNeil and Leslie A. Hoffman, the MIRA state engineer. MT. McNeil accepted the application and program and said that action would be taken on them at a formal hearing of the board early next week after which they will be forwarded to Wash, ington for final decision.
 The application for additional funds was made unde the MIRA provision which empowers the fed eral government to finance public perks of it's political subdivisions with the agreement that only sev- enty per cent of the funds ad- vanced need be epaid. Commis- sioner Macdonald's contention is that if the state, or any political subdivision now has money avail able for highways, which are pub lie works, it may. ask the federal government to increase that money by outight grant. He also contends that the individual towns may make similar applications. using their annual state aid appropria- tions to repay the government loans.
 Following yesterdays conference Commissioner Macdonald issued the following statement in explan- ation of the applications:
 "As a result of @ conference be- tween representative of the high way department and the chairman of MIRA advisory board and its en- gineer yesterday at which formal application was made for @ grant from the federal government of $1.957,200 and a program for state highway construction was submit ted, it appears that these addition al funds will be available to this state under the provisions of the MIRA, subject to approval of the federal authorities.
 We have suggested that the program as whole be tentatively approved with the understanding that formal approval of individual projects may be had only when the construction plans have been completed to the satisfaction of the MIRA state engineer.
 Tt has been our contention that under the terms of the MIRA it would not be necessary for the state to borrow funds from the federal government in order to take advantage of the thirty per \CCut 6IduL PAOVluCO HI titC PuoAC works section. This is based on the rules. prescribed by the presi- dent in MIRA Circular No. l, Ar ticle ". Case $, which reads as follows:
 The applicant (public body) may be able to finance its projects in whole or in part otherwise than by sale of it's obligations to the United States and wishes never theless to obtain the grant. In such case the grant (30 per cent of the cost of labor and materials .,em- ployed on the project) will be made if the project is approved by the administrator and public body enters into a contract with the United States whereby the project is constructed under the conditions of sec. 206 and the requirements of article IT, sections 1 and 3, in- elusive of this circular The latter references are to the codes.
 "In the case of Connecticut where current funds are available. we would finance these projects otherwise than by the sale of it's obligations to the United States and without the necessity of bor- rowing.
 "This claim now seems to be substantiated and the purpose of