Evening star., 1941-03-29
Bond Proposal
For County Cut
And Revived
Compromise Permits
$500, 900 Program in
Prince Georges
BY BEN III. PEARSE,
Star Staff Correspondent.

ANNAPOLIS, March 29.-The
s2,000,000 bond issue for general i'm
provements in Prince Georges
County, reported dead last week,
was revived by the county delega-
ton yesterday and brought out in
compromise form providing for a
bond issue of 100000.
BY legislative technically, the
proposal appeared as an amend
ment' to bill introduced previously
to prohibit installation of gas
stoves, pipes or other devices with
out inspection and a permit from
the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission. The amendment"
completely eliminated the gas in
spection proposal
Delegate Ralph w. Powers, chair
man of the delegation, explained
that it had been practically decided
not to introduce the general county
improvement bond issue measure at
this session, but that after con-
ferences with some groups III the
county favorable to the program, a
compromise plan was agreed upon
that would cut out the projects
which had been most strenuouslv
opposed during hearings on the bill
Restrict Berwyn Charter Bill.
At the same delegation caucus
yesterday, 1t was decided to report
the Berwyn charter bill favorably
instead of allowing it to die in COM
mlttee. but with restricted scope
The territory to be incorporated
within the limits of the proposed
area was cut down more than half
by elimination of the unsettled Sec
tlonS. The bill still provides for a
referendum before the incorporation
goes into effect, but otherwise the
proposal remains about the same.
The county improvement bond
Issue bill provides for an advisory
committee of five members, all
named in the bill The list is topped
by H. j. Patterson of College Park.
former president of the University
Of Maryland. and includes Oliver
Metzerott, Chillum, lawyer and for
many years Republican Delegate
and Senator in the Legislature and
Herbert Wells, College Park: Edgar
A. Merkle, Avondale, and Irwin I.
Main, Seat Pleasant, businessmen.
The bill provides that the advisory
committee shall meet Immediately
and elect its own chairman and
proceed to draw up an improvement
program for the county. It is en-
powered to employ its own staff of
clerks and technical assistants, but
will serve without pay.
Must Report in 4 Months.
Within four months, report must
be submitted to the county COM
missioners. who have 80 days to
approve or disapprove the program.
The commissioners have the power
to approve or veto programs SUBJ
mitted by the advisory committee,
but not to initiate any of their
own. Public hearings are ordered in
the bill.
The advisory committee Is to be
self-perpetuating body under the
proposed amendment" but men,
bers must be residents of the Metro
politan Area of the county.
Under the bill, the proceeds of
the bond issue must be spent within
the next two years, but not less
than 100000 nor more than $780,
600 in either year. The bonds would
be liquidated from metropolitan dis
trict taxes within 25 years and
would draw not more than 3 per
cent interest.
Program Outlined.
The bill proposes the following
breakdown in expenditure of the
funds derived from the sale of
bonds.
$500, 900 for widening, Strengthening
and improving streets and roads;
s250000 for parks and parkway
Improvements:
$4,000 for eliminating danger spots
or hazardous road intersections;
S60,000 for purchase of recreation
areas, especially near schools;
$4,000 for roadside improvements
including tree planting under the
supervision of the Forestry Service;
s50,000 for lighting Improvements
on roads and street intersections,
and
$4,000 for purchase or condemna-
ton costs for eliminating dangerous
or unsightly roadside buildings. haz-
ards or bill board sites.
Changes in ALLEGATION of funds
could be made under the bill up to
20 per cent of the amount stipu-
lated.