Evening star., 1939-12-05

Suggestions Are Made
For Modification Of
District Government
Unanimously opposing the Seal
reorganization plan, the Citizens
Association of Takoma, D. c., last
night adopted a resolution that
there can be no real reorganization
of the municipal government until
such time as Congress grants the
right of suffrage and national repre-
sentation to the people of the Dis
trict of Columbia"
William H. Parsons, chairman of
the Laws and Legislation Commit
tee in report said I'VE believe that
no appointive body should exercise
legislative powers, particularly as to
taxation. Congress must continue
to be the legislative body for the
District. Specifically we believe that
the so-called Griffenhagen, Ken
nedy and Seal plans are all defective
in that they try to unity in one
so-called local or municipal govern
ment powers which belong to two
different governments. For this rea-
son we believe that the present
Board of Commissioners form of
government which retains the pow
ers and functions in Congress with
the minimum of delegating of power
is the best type of local government
until such time as Congress grants
the rights of suffrage and national
representation to the people of the
District"
Suggestions Offered.
The resolution said all of the plans
indicated a need for modification
of the present municipal govern
ment as follows: THE institution
Of civil service for the District;
the regrouping of various functions
having to do with engineering and
construction into the department
of engineering, and the regrouping
of functions having to do with the
budget, accounting and revenues
purchases and property control and
check as between the functions OF
the collection. expenditure and &C
counting and auditing of public
funds"
Opposition was expressed to any
changes affecting the Board of Ed
ucation and the District schools,
Board of Library Trustees. Public
Utilities Commission and the De-
partment of Vehicles and Traffic ex-
cept changes which may strengthen
them in the interests of the people.
Approval was given the present
assignment and control Of recrea-
ton to the Board of Education, hos
pitals to the Health Department
and tax appeals to the Board of Tax
Appeals.
1t was agreed that control of zon-
ing should be re-established in the
Zoning Commission by provision for
appeals from the Board of Zoning
Adjustment to the Zoning Commits
sion.
Investigation Agency Urged.
The resolution concluded with the
statement that there should be es-
tablished a permanent agency with
powers OF, investigation and the duty
to publicly report on the economy.
and efficiency Of the 0peration Of
she several agencies Of the District
government. That such an agency
u,{ Il oNart rvrao rar an ,,{y,oe ord oraafA
better administration In the mu-
nicipal government than any mere
form of reorganization and shifting
of functions. The present municipal
government has in comparison with
the governments of other cities been
a clean and generally satisfactory
government, and we believe its chief
need aside from some form of con-
troll is economy and efficiency, not
reorganization
President Wallace c. Magathan
was authorized tc appoint a COM
m;ttee for the annual Christmas
celebration to be held jointly with
the Manor Park Citizens Associa-
ton and also for the annual dinner
to be held in February. The men,
bers on the Joint Celebration Com
mittee include Frank B. Duchesne,
Secretary William M. Greene, Lewis
A. Jones, Mrs. Norman E. McIndoo
and Arthur Kriemelmeyer, director
of the Whittier Playground, which
will be the scene of the celebra-
ton, where the association planted
a 50-foot cedar several years ago.
The following were elected to
membership: Mr.. and Mrs. B. Frank
Reppert, Mr.. and Mrs. J. B. Lyon,
Mr.. and Mrs. Garret w. Wolfe, Mr..
and Mrs. Orville r. Walker, DR.. and
Mrs. Henry " johnson. Kenneth
Douse and B. Paul Burtis. The
meeting was held in the Takoma
Public School, Piney Branch road
and Dahlia street.