Evening star., 1953-11-17
Par|eys Slated
On Reduced
Works Plan
Program Trimmed
To $305 Million
Over 10 Years

The District Commissioners
scheduled further meetings this
week to iron out details of the
proposed 10-year public works
program, after looping $3O.5
million off the highway and gen.
eral construction portions of the
program.
The $30.5 million cuts bring
the programs total cost down to
a $3O5 million figure, agreed
upon by the Budget Bureau and
already greeted enthusiastically
by some leaders on Capitol Hill.
The cuts include:
l. About $14 million that was
to have been spent for a new
800-bed building at the Glenn
Dale Hospital for tuberculosis
patients.
2. About 81 million for expan-
sion of the District Central Lii
brary.
5. About $12.5 million from
the long-range highway i'm
provement program.
$27 Million Actual Cut.
While these reductions amount
to $30.5 million, the actual net
cut in the programs cost is only
about $27 million-from an orig
inal 1892 million total to the new
$305 million total. The reason
for this is that $3.6 million is
added to the program in the
form of 1854 appropriations,
which cannot be spent until 1855.
The 10-year program would
run from the 1855 year through
1864.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss,
Engineer Commissioner, said
both the Glenn Dale and library
projects eliminated we're slated
for late in the 10-year period.
While the Glenn Dale project
must be postponed, new con-
struction plans for the District
General Hospital will provide 300
beds for tuberculosis patients
there, to supplement the 400 now
existing at Glenn Dale, he said,
The highway reductions also
represent work that was to have
been done at the "tail-end of
the program, the general said.
That work now will have to be
done as part of the Highway
Departments normal construc-
ton program, after the special
10-year city improvement pro-
gram is finished.
Tax Farley Set.
These reductions were an
nounced yesterday, when the
city heads met with an executive
group of the Citizens Committee
for Public Works. headed by
Banker John A. Reilly.
Gen. Prentiss said the city
heads will meet on Thursday
with a subcommittee headed by
Banker Francis G. Addison, jr.,
on another crucial aspect OF the
program. The meetings. pur-
pose will be to find means OF
increasing city taxes to the tune
of $4.5 million year. The gen.
eral indicated the city heads
might reach a decision this week
on exactly what taxes are to be
boosted.
Meanwhile, the Commission
ers are to review the program
at a noon luncheon Thursday
in the Metropolitan Club with
Representative O'Hara, Republi-
can, of Minnesota.
Mr.. O'Hara. chairman of the
fiscal subcommittee of the House
District Committee, said yester-
day he wants to begin his own
study of the city revenue prob
lem and wants to be brought
up to date on the $305 million
program.
District Committee officials in
both the House and Senate have
expressed approval of joint
hearings on the vast and COM
plicated program as early as
possible next year. Committee
staff members already have
begun studies in preparation for
the early consideration.
Breakdown of Program.
Here is the way the proposal
stands now, with it's total cost
set at 1904, 100000:
Water, $35,451 900: sanitary
sewers, $27,854,OOO; highways
and bridges. Sill. 100000; storm
sewers, $46,420,O00, and general
construction including schools,
hospitals, etc), $83, ,326,000.
The water and sanitary sewer
Improvements would be financed
by an increase to a Federal loan
now authorized for water pur-
poses. The loan increase would
be paid for by an increase in
water rates, plus a new sewer
tax.
The remainder of the program
would be financed by a $50 mil
lion Federal interest bearing
loan, an annual SO million in
crease in the Federal Govern
ment's share of city expenses
the new miscellaneous taxes to
bring an additional $4.5 million
a year and about 81 million q
year from Highway Fund rev.
enueS.
Gen. PrentisS said these esti-
mates provide slight cushion
which gives "the flexibility
needed" in planning a program
Of such magnitude.