Evening star., 1937-10-03
NEW MUNICIPAL CENTER
SUM OF $500, 900 LISTED
Enlargement of D. C. Jail, Series
Of Health Centers and Lorton
Program Included.
BY DON S. WARREN.

Five major items for Capital i'm
provementS will be included by the
Commissioners in their 1889 esti-
mates, which they will submit shortly
to the Budget Bureau. it was learned
after the city heads had conferred
at length with Maj. Daniel j. Donovan
budget officer. They are
l. To start construction of the
long-planned municipal center, $780,
600, with the total cost of the wing
expected TO run to sl,500,000
2. To begin enlargement of the
District Jail with construction of
a new Administration Building, to
include a new execution chamber to
replace facilities now used in the
mess hall, the wing to cost Sl65,0OO
Will Have $4,000, 900 More.
3. For construction of the second
OF the series of health centers urged
by Health Officer George c. Rutland
to carry forward his attack on high
rates of mortality and incidence of
contagious disease, 100000.
4. To continue the construction pro-
gram at the Lorton Reformatory. a
portion of the large sums sought BY
penal officials and the Board of Public
Welfare, this to provide for continued
development of the penitentiary unit,
or walled group" at Lorton, and for
construction of additional womens
dormitories.
5. For continuation of construction
of school projects. for which initial
appropriations were made in this
years budget, items running between
$l,400000 and s1,700,000.
While the Commissioners are near
ing completion of their work of mark
ing up their 1889 estimates. they did
not provide any final listing of new
capital items. Their calculation of
available revenues next year, even with
a continuation of the increased tax
load, in one form or another, has indi-
Gated they will have only approx
mately $2,000,000 of new money for
new projects, outside of the special
highway and water accounts.
Will Delay Others.
The inclusion of the Municipal Gen.
ter item will mean that some other re-
quests, such as those for additional
new school buildings and sites. will
have to be postponed. Because of the
crowded condition of the District
Building and other structures occupied
by municipal agencies, the Commits
sioners have determined to fight for
start on this project next year.
Representative Collins, Democrat. of
Mississippi, chairman of the District
Subcommittee of the House Appropria-
tons Committee has indicated lie
favors both the starting of the center
and the enlargement of the jail.
The Commissioners have announced
they plan fight for an increase in the
Federal payment toward expenses Of
the Capital. They have indicated they
will ask that the item be increased
from s5,000,000 to S7,500,000 next
year. Should this be granted. the
Commissioners are expected to submit
additional items for new school con-
struction.' Otherwise, the present out
look is for restriction of the school eX-
pansion program to items for compile
tion of projects provided for in this
years budget plus some possible in
crease in personnel
Includes Memorial Fund.
The present years appropriations in
cluded 100000 for starting construc-
ton of an 100000 Thomas jefferson
Memorial Junior High School and
Library; $160,000 for beginning of
construction Of school to replace the
Lenox Vocational School, the limit CT
cost being set at $360,000; an item of
s350,000 for beginning construction of
a $l,350,000 senior high school at
Fifth and Sheridan streets, and an
item of 100000 for beginning con-
struction Of a s725,650 junior high
school on the site of the Banneker
Playground. How fast these projects
can be carried forward is not known.
The first wing of the projected
municipal center is designed to pro-
vide new headquarters for the Police
and Fire Departments and space for
the offices of the Department of We
hicles and Traffic. The present police
headquarters, in the old building at
462 Indiana avenue, long has been
unsatisfactory to police officials and
some members of Congress. Removal
of Fire Department headquarters
from the District Building would re-
lieve congestion Of space there. The
Traffic Department now is housed in
the Ford Building, on the municipal
center site.
Study of revision of the District
tax structure has been delayed while
officials were involved with the bud
get problem. The committee includes
the following municipal officers: Maj.
Donovan, District auditor, as chair
man; Corporation Counsel Elwood H.
Seal, Richmond B. Keech, vice chair
man of the Public Utilities Commits
sion; Tax Assessor Fred D. Allen, Tax
Collector Chatham M. Towers and
Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, director of
highways.
Representatives of civic and busi-
ness groups will comprise an ad-
visory committee to- work with the
group of District officials in consider
ing the tax problems. Among dele
gates so far appointed are F. Eliot
Middleton, representing the Washing
ton Real Estate Board; Arthur. j.
Sundlun, the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association; Rufus S. Lusk,
the Washington Taxpayers Associa-
ton; Edgar Morris, the Washington