Evening star., 1937-01-08
poses, as do the citizens Of COM

poses, as do the citizens Of COM
parable cities.
That until District residents have
direct and formal part" in deter
| mining the character and extent OF
local services and expenditures, they
should not be expected to bear costs
in excess Of those borne normally by
| residents of other comparable COM
munities for similar services.
That as long as congressional con-
troll is direct and exclusive, the
National treasury should bear any
costs in excess Of those borne nor
mally by taxpayers in communities
comparable with the District.
New Conception of Capital.
In general, the report conceives the
Capital City as being maintained ex-
clusively by the local taxpayers with
no fixed Federal contribution, but
with Federal payments which will
vary from year to year with the size
and the nature of the District budget,
computed according to the three-point
formula.
All services-either to the National
Government or to individuals who re-
ceive certain extraordinary services
will be paid for. Free tuition for nom
resident pupils in the District, free
public library service to non-residents.
would be ended and fees for such serv-
ices exacted.
On the other hand, the District
would pay in cash for all measurable
services it received from the National
Government. The services of the
Budget Bureau in handling the Dis
trict budget would be paid for. The
Treasury would be paid by the Dis
trict for handling its accounts. The
General Accounting Office would be
paid for its post audits of District
funds The District residents would
pay the salaries Of the Army's Corps
of Engineer officers assigned here as
Engineer Commissioner and assistants.
The Investigators found that the
Federal Government is performing 80
special services for the District. The
District government is performing 80
special services for the Federal Gov
ernment. Reimbursement is effected
now by special arrangement in the
case of some Of the services, but not in
others. All would be paid for under
the plan.
The recommendation Is made that
the Federal Government pay for water
1t consumes on the basis of the stand.
ard rate schedule. That would in
crease water revenues by about $780,
900 yea-. In addition, it is proposed
that the assessment rates for service
main extensions to water users be
increased to cover the entire cost of
such extensions. That would increase
the water revenues by $150,000 and
the two items together would account
for s400, 900 additional water revenues,
despite an existing surplus in the
Water Department now.
Congress Control Remains.
As for the exclusive control of Con-
gress over the District, it would, of
course, remain under any arrange
ment. Some form Of local suffrage
is recommended for the District, but
the report is not specific and whether
suffrage would be granted would de-
pend upon q referendum.
The report goes farthest in Outlin-
ing plan Of local suffrage when
1t states:
1.-THE section of the statute granting
local suffrage to the District residents
might include the power to elect q
municipal council to legislate on mat
tiers concerning the plan and structure
Of local administrative organization,
authority for the formulation and ad-
ministration Of the operating and
capital improvement budgets, revenue
and expenditure control and the enact
ment and enforcement Of local regula-
tory ordinances. BY these means, con-
troll and responsibility for services and
costs would be squarely upon the Dis
trict government itself and the power
and right to maintain or change the
government would be In the people
Of the District"
The report takes the view that ma
tional representation in the House and
Senate and electoral college would re-
quire a constitutional amendment,
"and IS more remote from the fiscal
relations problem" although local stu