Evening star., 1941-03-22

numerous ana QlVerSl1led parks, IL is
becoming a model among the mu-
inequalities of the world. Those de-
fects in the ideal city, represented
by inadequate service by essential
municipal functions, result from
failure to continue consistently the
application of the fine principles
which were followed in the develop
ment of Washington.
The Nations equitable obligation
OF proportionate contribution toward
the maintenance and development
of the seat of government is as just
and as binding today as it was at the
beginning of the century and should
not be repudiated, either outright
Or by piecemeal.
3. Obligation based upon pay
ments made from local taxes, solely
because Washington is the Capital,
in excess of what would be paid if
Washington were the ordinary COM
mercial self-sustaining community.
Also obligation based upon pay
ments which are national or semi
national and impose an obligation
upon the Nation to pay all or half
or 40 per cent of expenditures and
which render inadequate the Fed
eral contribution of approximately
| IL per cent in the current fiscal
year These items should (a) either
be eliminated from District of Co.
lumbia bill and handled under some
other appropriation bill with specific
equitable provision for distribution
of payment between Nation and
Capital, or (b) if retained in Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill
should be coupled with specific
statement of equitable distribution
of payment between Nation and
Capital, or Co if retained in District
| of Columbia bill and payment made
with low percentage of national con-
tributlon (such as II per cent? under
present lump-sum payment, then
this unjust excessive contribution
| by Capital to be considered in max
ing equitable increases of lump-sum
contribution.
The Municipal Center: The Munich
pal Center development furnishes
striking illustration of how Wash
ington must plan its local municipal
| improvements on scale the ordinary
city would not undertake. Having
been advised that the Federal Gov
eminent some day would want to
include the present District Building
in its Pennsylvania avenue-Mall |
triangle of Government structures, |
N ice
sion in 1929 to buy two squares north
of PENNSYLVANIA avenue for one or
more new municipal buildings Con- |
gress, however, directed the city to
buy four squares instead of two, in
order to make the Municipal Center
conform in grandeur to the Federal |
development south of Pennsylvania |
avenue. This used up a $6,000,00 |
surplus the District had at that |
time. and left it unable for a num-
Der of years to go forward with con-
struction.
The Defense Emergency: The
present need for increased appro-
priations to carry the load placed
on municipal functions by defense
expansion of Federal activities also
is largely a result of the fact that
Washington is the National Capital.
In many cities the defense pro-
gram will result in expansion of pri-
vate industrial plants, but those COM
munities will have the benefit of
new taxable improvements to help |
meet the need for increased munich |
pal services. In Washington Gov
ernment expansion means primarily |
more taX-exempt land area for Fed |
eral Office space and the influx of a |
great number of people who will
require additional municipal services |
but who will not be direct taxpayers. |
Park and Planning Commission
This national body was created by |
an act of Congress public No. 202,
Sixty-eighth Congress) in 1924 for |
the development of parks within and |
outside the District of Columbia, the |
name being changed from National |
Capital Park Commission to Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission in 1926. The broadly ma
tional conception of this task was |
indicated in the wording of the act,
which proposed the appropriation
each year of "a sum not exceeding
l cent for each inhabitant of the |
Continental United States, as de-
termined by the last preceding
1920 decennial census" Funds ap-
propriated for use within the Dis
trlct of Columbia were to be paid
tfyny 1f ct,-in
of Columbia and the general funds |
of the Treasury in the same proper
ton as other expenses of the District
of Columbia"
New Terms Impose Greater Burden. |
But when the park development |
law public No 284, Seventy-first
Congress- of 1880 was enacted, and
a total sum of $l6,000,000 authorized
to be advanced for use within the
District, repayments were demanded
from the District at the rate of
million dollars a year, and between
1924 and 1880 the proportion of the
Federal lump-sum payment had
shrunk from approximately 40 per
cent to approximately 20 per cent Gin
the current fiscal year it is about IL
per cent? and the participation in
| this semi-national undertaking was
thereby reduced by more than half,
throwing much greater proportion
of the cost on local taxpayers.
Through 1910 the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission had
incurred obligations of $6,732 900, of
which the District has repaid, in
cluding the 1941 installment, $5,831,-
900, leaving an obligation of 100000.
Repayments will continue at the rate
of 100000 a year, instead of 81 ,000,-
900. until the District liquidates its
debt to the Public Works Admins
tration for part of the cost of new
municipal structures. The District
still faces the possibility of $685.
600 of future park development pay
ments (the remainder of the $l6,-
100000 authorization) and these re-
payments would come largely from
local tax revenues as fiscal relations
now stand.
Rock Creek Potomac Parkway
~, - -lr