Evening star., 1952-09-28
1919 Million Program Drafted
ToRevitolize DC. Public Works
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among the l3 States was S34 So
per capita. ranging from q low Of
el5.46 TO q high Of $73.5l. This
city's per capita figure Is $7.36.
The committee cited another
tell-tale set of figures to under
score the disparity in the Federal
share in the upkeep of Washing
ton. Of all the land area Of the
city. excluding streets. only 48.3
per cent Is taxable. The largest
nontaxable property owners is the
Federal Government, with a total
holding of 42.4 per cent. And this
holding has increased more than
8 per cent in the last IL years.
Much of the balance of tax
exempt land has that status by
virtue of being owned by foreign
nations appropriately" located in
the Nations Capital.
Gore" Of Vast City.
On top of these factors. the ad-
visory group went on, it must be
recognized that the District of
Columbia proper is actually only
the central core" of a capital
city that encompasses large areas
OF nearby Maryland and Virginia.
This suburban growth has been
continuous land in direct propor-
ton to the need for services and
facilities for the United States
Government" the committee re-
ported. Yet the limits of the city.
which canont be extended because
OF its unique territorial status,
prevent the annexation processes
that enable normal cities to extend
their tax and upkeep jurisdictions.
Notwithstanding, the committee
noted, 1t is within the central core
the District Of Columbia that
tremendously expensive facilities
need to be constructed to serve the
hundreds of thousands of residents
beyond the taxing Jurisdiction of
the District"
The tizen-adviSers raised this
point in an apparent effort to show
that the need public works de-
velopment should be borne largely
by the Federal Government with
incidental aid by the WASHINGTON
taxpayer.
To preserve the economic sta
bility of the city itself means
avoiding a taxing system that
does not "penalize, through ex-
cesSive rates. persons and business
establishments" within the city
limits "as against those in the
surrounding metropolitan area"
Washington, the committee
warned, 'like most other major
cities is experiencing a movement
Of important tax-paying popula-
ton groups and commercial estab-
lishments into suburban areas and
a replacement Of them by occu-
pants having lesser tax-paying
ability"
To increase District taxes in
ordinately, in comparison to the
rates of adjoining areas, will OBJ
viously accelerate the movement
to outlying areas and intensity the
Districts current fiscal dilemma, y
the advisory group declared.
While the committee recon-
mended that the six-year-program
should be planned and financed
as a single entity, the details
should be open to q continuous
comprehensive review.
Outline Construction Program.
In its overall report. the ad-
visory committee summarized the
recommendations of it's six sub.
committees, to be released peri.
odically this week:
COnstructi0n-A general survey
of institutional needs conducted
by IL special groups Of the sub
committee, covers such depart
mentS as schools, hospitals, firs
and police. The full committee
expenditure of $113.5 million, plu!
$50 million for Sanitation Divi.
sion construction, in this cate
CORY, a mark-down of $34 millior
from the sum advocated by city
officials. Bulk of the reduction
was felt by the expansion pro.
gram recommended by Robart M
Corning, superintendent of schools
Sewer, water and aqueduct-
Sewer Division needs are real
and should be given prompt at
tention-as Congress suddenl!
realized earlier this year wher
the Rock Creek Park line over
flowed.
BY the same token the expan
sion program of the Water Di
vision and Washington Aqueduc
are considered "the barest mini
mum to make certain that neces'
sary facilities are available TO
reliable service at all times"
total Of $103.4 million was urget
for the sewer and water category
So million more than suggested b.
the department heads due to in
creased needs for developing tn
water system.
HighwayS-The committee is il
Substantial agreement" with tn,
1864 million plan recommended