The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-06-30
ASSEMBLY APPROVES
BUILDING PROGRAM
(By Ohio Labor News Service)

(Dy OnlO LABOR news SeFVlCe)
Columbus, O.-Without dissenting !
vote, the General Assembly last week
created State Building Authority of
three members with the power to issue
| 81 100000 in bonds, to be matched by
sc, 100000 in Federal funds, for use in
an extensive welfare building program
in the state.
This huge program, in addition to
providing adequate facilities for the
housing Of the states wards in mental
and correctional institutions, will Gre
ate employment for an estimated 10O,-
600 building trades workers during
the course Of construction.
With state institutions badly over
crowded and many in poor condition,
the building program was held up for
years due to constitutional limitations
which prevented TIE state from assum-
ing a bonded indebtedness of more
than $75O,00O without a vote of the
electorate.
Taking their cue from the State Of
Pennsylvania, where similar Build
ing Authority solved a state institu-
tional problem, Governor Davey and
legislative leaders, with the solid sup
port Of the Ohio State Federation of
Labor and the Ohio State Building
and Construction Trades Council, Sc
cured the enactment of the legislation
necessary to institute the building
program.
Details were worked out in legis-
lative committee meetings in both
Senate and House, with the assistance
of ecretary-Treasurer Thomas J.
Donnelly and Vice President Arnold
Bill of the Ohio State Federation of
Labor, and Secretary Treasurer
Charles j. Case, of the Ohio State
Building and Construction Trades
Council.
One of the principal projects con-
templated under the Authority is the
construction of new reformatory on
the site of the Lincoln Prison Farm
to relieve congestion in the Ohio
Penitentiary.
Other projects are contemplated at
the Columbus State Hospital for In
sane, Columbus State Feeble Minded
Institution, Apple Creek Institution,
Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital and San
dusky Soldiers Home. New con-
struction and rehabilitation of old
buildings is planned for practically all
state-owned institutions.
Under the provisions of the law,
three-member bipartisan State Build
ing Authority, composed of one regis
tered architect or engineer, one busi-
ness man and one skilled labor rep
resentative, will issue bonds and ad-
minister the program.
Members of the Authority will serve
for four years at sAnary of $4,000
per year. Their appointment is sub
ject to confirmation by the Senate, and
they must report their activities an
nually to the Legislature.
Upon completion of the protests,
bonds will be amortized over period
not to exceed 25 years through the
payment of rentals by the state to
the Authority for the use of the build
ings.
When the bonds have been retired,
the state will assume charge of the
buildings, and the work of the Au-
thority will be ended.
The measure was sponsored in the
Senate by Senators Mcintyre, Zoul
and Baggott, and in the House by
Representatives Becker and Kalb.
Small debate in the House was end
ed when Representative William h.
Whetro, a general organizer for the
AFL, declared: democrats are for
this measure, Republicans are for it,
and Organized Labor is for it, so let's
vote on it," The measure was then ap-
proved by vote of LOG to 0.