Evening star., 1953-12-02
D. {. Citizens
Asked 70 Boost
Works Project
Coming 80 Days
VitoI, Committee
Told at Meeting


Congress the multi-million dollar
public works improvement pro-
gram must be exerted in the next
80 days by the citizens of Wash
ington.
In a sort of pep rally in the
District Building yesterday, John
A. Reilly, chairman Of the
Citizens Committee on Public
Works, also urged Washing
tonians:
l. To stop gripping" about
what previous Congresses have
failed to do for the District and
to present the merits of our
case as it stands today" Don't.
Mr.. Reilly said, blame this Con-
gress for the acts of omission or
commission of its predecessors.
2. To take a realistic" view
of the more than $40 million an
nual tax increase schedule, which
has been proposed by the Com
mlsisoners to help finance the
works program. You can't get
something for nothing" Mr..
Reilly said. THE greatest argu-
ment we can make is to show our
good faith by sharing a part OF
the new burden"
PrentisS Speaks.
The committee chairman. who
is president of the Second Ma
tional Bank, spoke at general
meeting of the public works
group in the District Building.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. PrentiSS,
Engineer Commissioner. also ad-
dressed the gathering. Fewer
than so of the 800 members
were present.
I'VE have reached that point
in the road where we may be-
come decadent city and go
down or build and go up." Gen.
Prentiss said. ANY city that
stops building decays"
The Engineer Commissioner
added word of warning against
laxity in pushing Congress for
the full amount required for the
works program.
When the chips are down,
and the thumbscrews start tight
ening in Congress we may have
more modification of the pro-
gram" he said.
William E. Leahy. chairman
of the Citizens Advisory Coun-
Gil. offered his own allegory. The
District from a public works
standpoint, he said, is sick.
And when a city is sick" Mr..
Leahy said. "it's no good stand
ing around the bed and cussing
about it," About the Washing
ton patient: 1T will take 10
years to get him cured and back
on his feet"
Set Up on 10-Year Basis.
The works program is now set
up on a 10-year basis. It calls
for raising the Federal payment
to the city SO million annually
over that period, borrowing SO
million a year from the Federal
: Government and increasing taxes
by $10-$11 million a year.
In the course of yesterdays
meeting, the Commissioners ad-
dressed an open letter to local
residents. 1t cited compelling
reasons" for supporting what is
now estimated as a $306.4 mil
lion program. The last previous
estimate resulting from pairing
by the Federal Budget Bureau
came to between 1902 and $3O5
million.
The city heads gave the cur
rent construction and financing
breakdown for the 10-year period
as follows:
l. Highways and bridges
$111.9 million total cost, with
$62 million available from the
highway fund, including the pro-
posed penny y-per- gallon gasoline
tax hike to cents, and a $50
million Federal loan.
2. Water-$369 million, but
since part of this program was
authorized by Congress in 30
year loan program in 1850, the
balance can be financed by in
creaSing the water rate charge
to private consumers and the
Federal Government and by in
creaSing new water main assess
ments by more than one-third to
a new total of So per front-foot.
8. Sanitary sewers-$27.8 mil
lion, to be supported by impos-
ing a sewer service charge equal
to so per cent of the water rate,
a $5-million Federal loan and by
raising the sewer assessment
rate from the present $3.50 to
81 per front-foot.
4. General building construc-
tion and stormwater The
sewers, $46.4 million worth, as
well as 1888 million in such con-
Struction as schools. welfare and
health institutions would be
financed by part of the proposed
tax raises, higher Federal pay
ments and a $40-million Federal
loan to the general fund over the
10-year construction period.
7I5 Per Cent Increase.
The comm missioners also
pointed out that $4.5 million of
the hoped-for SO million annual
increase in Federal payments
would go toward meeting in
creased operations costs.
Mr.. Reilly in his talk stated
that as the financing program
now stands, local residents will
be paying 71a per cent more
than at present. whereas the
Federal Government will pro-
vide nearly double its current
share
What Congress must be i'm
pressed with. Mr.. Reilly said. is
the fact that most of our prob
lens stem from obSolescence."
The Districts case, Mr.. Reilly
g.