The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-06-25

BY ROBERT A. COFFEY
OThe showdown question of
WHO foots the bill?" when, and
II, the master drain plan now un-
der consideration by Federal,
State and County officials goes
through, IL equalled In import
ance only by the simplicity of its
answer.
To reach the obviously correct
answer to this all-important
question Is simply q matter of
elimination.
And, rs the first elimination
to be made is Mount Clemens
and al of the South Macomb
communities which are directly
affected by the plan. The County
as 2 whole can also be dropped
from consideration. The same
holds true for Oakland County
and the various Oakland County
communities.
These can be considered out of
the financial picture simply be-
cause they have not the funds
available and no possibility of
raising them.
The majority of these munich
palities have already reached the
limit Of their bonded indebted
ness and q general assessment
could not cover the total re-
quired.
With Mount Clemens, st. Clair
Shores, Warren Township, Cent
er Line, East Detroit, Roseville,
Fraser and Warren, and Erin and
Lake Townships not to be con-
sidered rs possible sources of
revenue, there remains only the
State Of Michigan and the Fed
eral Government to sign the
check.
For further elimination, it
might be pointed out that an un-
official Interpretation Of section
II Of the State Constitution pre-
sumably bars the State from
sharing any financial burden in
construction of the system.
On top Of that, the State has
shown no eagerness to test this
Interpretation in order to clear
the way for q contribution to the
project although the various
state departments have been con-
stantly urging action to clear up
the serious drain situation.
This leaves 2 100000 prof.
ect with the Federal government
the only agency which either can
or possibly would bear the cost.
But even this course has OBJ
stacles. The Federal Government
can not off-handedly toss more
than four million dollars into
one section. 1t has as the only
legal avenue an ALLEGATION of
these funds under q WPA loan
grant. This, however, requires
q partial contribution on the part
Of the local government.
A total Federal financing of
the project will, beyond q doubt,
be the ultimate solution to the
problem. How this will be under
taken, however, is the one ques-
ton mark.
A review Of q few pertinent
facts will clearly show why au-
thorities do not seriously con-
slider the possibility Of any Of
the communities involved raising
on its own part the necessary
partial contribution for q WPA
grant.
The record shows that not one
was able to take advantage of
the IS per cent loan and grant
offerings of the WPA and moth
ing has been forthcoming under
the present Is per cent sponsor
share offering Of the WPA. The
Public Debt Commission also
made an adverse report on the
possibility Of bond issuance.
The Federal government must
sponsor the entire cost to enable
the construction Of the system.
And the Federal government will
do 20, IL only to protect the ire
investment Il has al
already made In the two huge
arsenals In Warren Township.
The Chrysler Tank Plant was
constructed ut q cost of more
than $40, 000, 900 and the u. s.
Naval Ordnance plant will pos
sibly surpass that figure upon its
completion.
Yet, ut present Ill sewage from
the Tank plant IL being carted by
tank truck to the Detroit Dis
posal plant daily. The Naval
plant has . connection now be-
Ing made to the Nine Mile Dis
posal plant, but the state IL re-
luctant to consider this suitable.
Beside this tremendous invest
ment which II being added to
constantly, the less than five mil
lion dollars for the complete In
tercepter system Of sewers Is
dwarfed into insignificance.
With the course Of action by
the Federal government clear on
q basis Of the position II now
stands In, the only consideration
IL the method 70 Be used 70 grant
this sum.
The answer 10 expected to
come almost overnight. South