The Washington times., 1937-01-08

the Bureau Of the Budget contin-
ues to pass upon details of the
District budget, the permanent
survey agency might properly be
operated as a section of that bu-
reau.
(b) The powers and duties Of
the present National Capital Park
and Planning Commission should
be enlarged to make it the one re-
sponSible agency for physical plan.
ming and development Of the Dis
trict, and the Commission should
be charged, among other duties,
with analyzing proposed capital
improvements and preparing the
estimates of the capital budget (as
distinguished from the operating
budge0 Of the District, and with
showing in the capital budget the
portions payable by the District
and by the Federal Government.
With the organization Of the capt.
tai improvement program, this
commission might also be charged
with the duties of the advisory
council recommended below. The
personnel Of the commission
should be modified to include rep
resentatives of both governments
and local citizens qualified in
planning and engineering; and the
commission should be relieved Of
its administrative duties and re-
named the National Capital Plan.
ming Commission.
Z. Pending the granting of
broader powers over local affairs,
there should be established an ad-
visory council consisting of repre-
SentativeS of the Federal and Dis
trict Governments and citizens
representative of civic groups to be
appointed by the President, such
council to advise on the original
preparation of the District bud
get, the determination Of tax and
revenue sources, and on the oper-
alton and administration of Dis
trict services and expenditures.
Local Control
8. District residents should be
given broad control over purely
local affairs, with Congress reserv.
ing only those powers possessed
elsewhere by State legislatures.
When this has been done, Federal
payments occasioned by relatively
higher employment policies and
standards, and by governmental
costs in excess Of those in compar-
able cities, should cease, and the
responsibility for administrative
and fiscal policies, and for the
level of local expenditures, should
be borne by the people Of the Dis
trict. Pending such local control,
the advisory council recommended
above should be established.
8. Provision should be made for
q comprehensive analysis Of the
administrative organization and
methods of the District govern
ment, with a view to developing a
well-thought-out and modern plan
Of municipal government adapted
to the requirements Of the District
and designed to establish it as the
model Of municipal adminiStra.
ton.
Permanent Agency
10. Provision should be made
for a permanent municipal survey
agency that will aid the admins
trative officials in maintaining
the District not only. as the most
beautiful Federal city but also
as the model local government,
through continuing review of the
administrative organization and
methods of the District govern.
ment and the installation Vof i'm.
proved techniques upon approval
by proper authorities. This staff
agency should have, in addition,
the duties indicated in paragraph
6 (a) above.
II. The revenue system of the
District should be revised to make
1t correspond to the more diversi-
fled State and local revenue SyS-
TENS Of comparable communi-
ties, thereby reducing the percent
age Of property taxes and bringing
about a wider and more equitable
distribution of the tax load on the
basis Of benefits received and
ability to pay.
II. Provision should be made
through congressional enactment
for local suffrage upon favorable
vote by the legal residents of the
District at q referendum upon the