Evening star., 1941-02-04
Schultz Favors
Gas Tax Boost
For Subways
Declares System
Appears to Be Only
Solution to Problem
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Chairman Schultz of the Streets
and Traffic Subcommittee of the
House District Committee an
nounced today he is seriously con-
sidering proposal that the gasoline
tax here be increased from to 4
cents a gallon to raise funds to help
finance traffic subway system.
Information has been given Rep
resentative Schultz that an addi-
tional 2 cents gallon on the local
gasoline tax would yield about 81
100000 year. He said If the Fed
elal Government would match this
figure the District would have
S5,000,O00 year to build traffic sub
ways.
I'VE have eventually got to come
to subways in order to move traffic
eXpeditiously in and out of the con-
gested sections of Washington" de-
clared Mr.. Schultz. Now is the
time to get started.
Points to City's Growth.
Washington has had an unpre-
cedented growth in the last 10 years.
Defense workers are now coming in
by the hundreds and in the next 10
years the city will have a population
of 100000. Traffic has increased
proportionately. Streets have been
widened to facilitate the flow of
traffic and yet congestion becomes
more serious. Subways appear to
be the only solution"
Representative Schultz said that
since the Federal Government is
largely responsible for the congestion
because it centralized most of its
Office buildings in a comparatively
small area, it should bear a pro-
portion of the expense of construct
ing subwayS. Moreover, he pointed
out, these Subways would be used
principally by Government workers
in going to and from work.
The first link in the proposed sub
way system. Mr.. Schultz said, should
start in the Federal triangle and
end in Rock Creek Park in the
vicinity of Massachusetts avenue-a
route that would accommodate thou
sands of Government workers living
in Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase and
other contiguous areas.
Wants More Police.
representative Schultz last week
advocated q l cent increase in the
gasoline tax to pay the salaries of
100 additional traffic officers he
wants appointed to the police force.
The 1-cent boost, however, he has
been informed. would raise about
81 900 900 more year than is needed
to employ 100 additional traffic
policemen.
II don't believe the motorists in
Washington would object to a 2-cent
boost in the gas tax if they know
they are going to get some real
benefits" said Mr.. Schultz. The
additional 2 cents not only will pay
the salaries of 100 more traffic off,
GERS who will help to make the
streets safer, but Vill provide bad
ly needed system of subways to move
traffic in and out of the congested
sections. I hope every civic-minded
resident of the District will get be-
hind this plan"
Representative Schultz also pro-
posed that the Zoning Commission
adopt regulation requiring that in
future construction-both residen-
tial and commentator street
parking facilities be provided for the
cars of the occupants.
Parking Facilities.
IT don't care whether the parking
facilities are underground or on the
roof" he declared, but somthing
must be done here to create addi-
tional automobile parking space
New apartment houses are going up
in sections where every inch of curb
space is now taken by parked cars.
Where will the tenants of the new
apartments park their cars?"
Representative Schulte's subcom-
mittee will resume its study of
Washington's traffic problems at
public meeting in the House District
District Committee room tomorrow
at 7:30 pm. Invited as the princi-
pal witnesses are District traffic
officials, judges of Police Court and
of motorists organi-
cations.
The subcommittee plans to make
a report to the full committee on
the result of its traffic survey
Monday.