Evening star., 1952-12-24
.Bi-County Study
On Commercial
Expansion Voted
Prince Georges and
Montgomery Assume
Shore in Costs

Plans for an economic survey
designed to aid proper commercial
in Prince Georges
and Montgomery have been finally
indorsed by officials of both
counties.
The Prince Georges Commits
sioners yesterday allocated funds
for the probe and. in another
action, approved a $4,000 supple
mental appropriation for the
county police department.
At the same time. the Mont
gomery County Council voted to
pay its share of the survey.
Prince Georges portion of the
proposed $25, 900 bi-county check
up will be $8,206.88. Montgomery
County will pay $8.886.25 and the
Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission ST.
906.87. The commission also had
approved the survey.
The survey, If finally approved,
will begin at a critical moment
insofar as Prince Georges is con-
cerned. In that fast-growing coun-
ty, the government is facing a
choice between its established poll
icy of limiting commercial coming
and the broader viewpoint of en-
couraging industry and an ex-
panded tax base.
New Revenues Are Factor.
That situation is sharply in
tensif1ed by a recently proposed
$27.5 million. five-year school,
building program for which funds
are not available.
New revenue sources must be
found, new viewpoints must be
adopted. in the opinion of some
county authorities. They deplore
the current tendency OF the county
heads to refuse apartment, COM
mercial and industrial coming
when they are confronted by OBJ.
jecting delegations.
Arthur w. Tayman, director
of the Prince Georges Department
of Public Works. recommended
that the county cooperate in
the economic survey. Mr.. Tayman.
who also is member of a special
committee chosen to study the
feasibility of the project, sug-
gested that the evaluation of po-
tentials be conducted by Homer
Hoyt and Associates. Montgom-
cry County previously had in
dorsed the New York and Chicago
firm.
Favorable Comment.
Three of the commissioners ex-
pressed favorable views:
1T would be the ArSt step
toward informing the lpeople .of
locations proposed for CONNER
cial Developments" Chairman
Thomas E. Latimer observed.
Commissioner Edward j. Wa
tiers called the projected survey
"a good idea in theory and prin.
Iciple."
"It would educate the people,"
said Commissioner Daniel A. Alb
bott. Ito the fact that we should
not continue to attempt to retard
progress. If that policy is adj
hered to- he added, tax levies
ION residential holdings will be-
come conf1scatory."
The police department supple-
mental appropriation will be used
to pay 20 new patrolmen and the
extra cost of placing the present
50-man force on a 12-hour-a-day.
lstraight-time basis The present
work day is eight hours.
Some From General Funds.
OF the total, $4,000 will come
from general funds. The re-
Imainder is available in a police
department account.
The fund ALLEGATION imple-
mented the commissioners recent
ruling that more policemen and
longer hours Is the best way to
protect children at school cross
Iings. It also will provide improved
policing throughout the county,
the commissioners said.
Police Chief F. Allen Richards
said yesterday that he expects to
hire the new men by March IS.
They will be trained for six weeks
and assigned to duty May /.
Chief Richards said a survey Of
the county to determine where
school guards are most needed is
now under way.
In other business the commits
sioners refused to hear interim
argument on a Carole Highlands
zoning case on which q decision
lis pending.