Evening star., 1952-12-06
u. ). Asks More
County Services
For Housing
Assessors TO Decide
If Payment on Two
Projects Is Adequate

The Federal Government asked
the Prince Georges County Com
missioners yesterday to give il
more services for the money IL
pays in lieu of taxes of two wal
housing properties.
The commissioners retorted
that they do not think they had
the authority to do that. And
then they suggested the Govern
ment is not paying enough. any,
way.
They told the county attorney
to see whether Prince Georges
has the authority to provide the
services the Federal men want.
They also arranged for county
and Federal assessors to get to-
gether and revalue the property
in question.
The two places are the Calvert
Houses at Riverdale, with 483
dwelling units. and the Garry
Houses at Suitland. with 205.
Operated by NCHA.
The National Capital Housing
Authority operates them. The
Public Housing Administration
has overall jurisdiction of all
such Federal war housing.
Representatives of the two
groups appeared at yesterdays
regular board meeting in Hyatts-
vile. They announced they want
ed to discuss the annual payments
they make to Prince Georges,
which compensate for the taxes
the county would get if the prop
critics weren't Federally owned.
The housing authorities noted
that the United States has been
paying the bills for maintaining
the streets and lighting them. Now
they want the county to repair
the streets. and furnish street
lights in the Garry site. The CAL
vert issue will be taken up later
with Riverdale, since Riverdale's s
town limits include the Calvert
Houses.
Not in County System.
The commissioners said they do
not think they may repair or light
the Carry streets, because those
streets never have been turned
over to the county to become a
part of the county's street sys-
tenn.
The public housing officials said,
however. Maryland law permits a
county board to cooperate with
the housing authorities, so far as
these matters are concerned. The
commissioners said they'd reserve
their decision until their lawyer
looks up the law.
On the subject of payments in
lieu of taxes, the Government said
it is ready to hand over $27,6l2.68
for the 1852 calendar year. It
agreed to have its men work with
the county's assessors to find out
whether 1t is paying enough.
In another action, the board
went on record as opposing the
present staked-out route of the
interbelt freeway. They
didn't offer any other route. They
merely went along with the Ber-
Wyn Civic Associations Traffic
Committee, which showed up at
The meeting to protest the way
the freeWay would slice through
Berwyn. if it follows the route
now planned.
Firemen Get Backing.
The commissioners also went
along with the county's Volunteer
Firemen's Association. The fire.
men asked. and got. commission
support of bill to give each fire
department. fiat $4,000 a year in
tax funds.
Vincent A. Simmel of Cottage
City. the associations legislative
chairman, said the f1remen want
The State Legislature to pass that
Dill to 'equalize" conditions
among the various departments.
AS things now stand, he said, a
lire department gets 81, 400 for its
FIRE equipment and can get $1,000
more if it also has a rescue squad.
The fiat $4,000 would tend to
prevent arguments between de-
partments with squads and those
without, Mr.. Simmel said,
Would Add S Departments.
The bill would cost the tax
payers $4,000 a year, he said. The
present Observation-Disclosures
Tor four years-is $48,600. The
aew appropriation would include
money for five more fire depart
ments than the old one, though,
he said, and would help relieve
rising costs which affect fire COM
oanies the same as everybody else.
College Park asked the board to
give police powers to two police
women College Park wants to use
as school traffic guards. College
Park would pay them and provide