Evening star., 1937-04-27

81, 1872 820-proposed for 1893 ana
urgent demands due to city-wide
growth and development, the situation
is critical. This is especially true due
to the increased cost OF materials and
labor. making the current and pro-
posed appropriations even less than
they appear to be in comparing them
with prior appropriations. Large
quantities OF urgent work Of nearly
all classincations are necessary to cope
with the situation confronting the
Highway Department.
Highway Department needs at this
time for street and bridge division
work are urgent. The rapid growth
Of the city, increase Of trafic and the
accumulation Of necessary work Of all
characters demand an annual fluid
availability of certainly not less than
that Of prior years. Even . similar
amount would produce less improve
ment due to increased unit cost and
broader activities. The department Is
faced today with the necessity of paw
ing 1T . cost OF more than one and
one-haf million dollars local or resi-
Dental streets where the abutting
property is more than IS per cent
improved.
The urgent need for street WIDEN
ing, grade separations, etc. to par
TALLY relieve trafnc congestion is ap-
parent to all. The estimated cost for
repsving abandoned street car track
areas exceeds S500,0OO. Main thor
oughfare development to meet traflc
needs and permit development OF
property IS Of equal importance to
other needs Of the city. Ample JUS
tification that would warrant the an
nual expenditure OF two million dol
lars, in addition to regular operating
expense. for the next five years for
new paving, widening bridge con-
struction and major highway changes,
including grade separations, under
passes and viaducts, could be pre-
sented
U. S. Aid Would Meet Demands.
With approximately 33,475 900 an
nuauy available for street and bridge
division activities from the gas tax
fund. the department, with Federal
aid as proposed in Senate bill s78,
would be in position to meet the
urgent demands through a definite and
progressive program OF development
that Is essential to the growth of the
city and necessary to meet the trafic
situation.
Senate bill 978, which has passed
the Senate, provides for the inclusion
OF the District OF Columbia in the
Federal aid highway act The District
would not participate until the fiscal
year 1889 (July /. 1889. Under the
present authorization of Congress the
District will receive. if this bill Is
finally approved, approximately S609,-
900. When added to STATS 900 esti-
mated availability from our funds the
total of s4 1854. 900 will give . sum only
slightly more than the department had
annually available from 1928 to 1885
inclusive.
In estimating the amount needed
for the department in order to meet
the situation. we have counted upon
the amount that We expect to receive
from Federal Aid. The passage of this
bill through the House is considered
equally as urgent aS the amendment
presented herewith.
Division Is Opposed.
While the tax of cents proposed
in several bills already introduced in
the House could. without diverting
any of the revenue from highway
purposes, be fully justified to meet the
urgent situation confronting the Dis
trict. 1t is believed by the increase to 8
cents proposed in the amendment a
satisfactory program can be formulated
provided Federal aid IS made available
and there is no diversion to any other
activity or use"
Representative Nichols, Democrat,
Of Oklahoma registered his opposition
to an increase in the gas tax on the
ground that this source of re nue. AL
ready is bearing its fair share of the
tax burden. He said he favored an
equal distribution of the tax load over
the entire taxing field.
IT that IS DONE" he declared,
there will be plenty of money avail
able without loading any one business
or individual"
Nichols expressed the belief that a
sales tax is a most painless form Of
taxation. Commissioner Hazen ex-
planned that this form Of taxation in
connection with tobacco, already is
under consideration.
Richmond B. Keech. vice chair
man Of the Public Utilities Commits
sion, the first witness, submitted a
report showing periodical reductions
in telephone rates since 1882, and
the amount OF taxes paid by the
various public utility corporations.
Keech, however, said the commits
sion Is not yet prepared to make
recommendations for new taxes on the
utility corporations. He pointed out
this question is under consideration
by the Commissioners Tax Commit
tee. of which he is q member
Representative Dirksen, Republican,
Of Illinois questioned keech about
operating revenues Of the Capital
Transit Co. He said they are in
creasing. Dirksen asked him to sub
nit later q statement comparing the
companys operating revenue last year
with that In 1896.
DirkSen also wanted TO know where
the water" Is In the transit COM
pAny stock.
There isn't any," Keech replied