Evening star., 1953-02-22
Public Works Program

Examination by municipal officials of the
proposed six to eight year public works program
for Washington, as presented last year by
committee Of citizens, has produced some
drastic revisionS in the financial estimates
There has been substantial reduction in the
estimates of local tax revenues available for
public works. On the other hand, there has
been a substantial increase in the amount of
proposed Federal loans and grants The revi--
sionS in estimates of revenue availability place
even greater emphasis on the serious financial
condition the city is facing
But the basic principle of the public works
program remains unchanged. II we are going
to put our house in order by means of an
orderly public works program to overcome
existing deficiencies in public facilities and
provide for future development, the program
must represent a joint undertaking by the
local community and the Federal Government.
AS it is the local community will be called
on to furnish almost two-thirds of the money.
But without assistance from the Federal Gov
ernment, the plan might as well be abandoned
now.
The financing plan. under revised estimates
and the requirements in such categorieS as
water supply and distribution system, highways
and bridges, sanitary and storm sewers school
construction and provision of necessary mu-
Building report published today. This general
outline will be followed in the next two weeks
with more detailed discussions of each of the
fields embraced by the program.
All of these preliminaries are in preparation
for presentation of the whole program to
Congress. This is the important undertaking
for which the large citizens committee has
been set up under chairmanShip of John A.
Reilly. Mr.. Reilly has the right to expect the
full cooperation of Washingtonians and the
citizens of our neighboring counties in Mary
land and Virginia in presenting the program
to Congress. For while there may be differences
of opinion as to the details of the program,
It's basic concept is important now. The first
objective is to obtain from Congress an author
ization of the financing plan, with whatever
reasonable notifications may be WISE Every
item in the program, If this financial plan is
approved, will, of course, undergo the detailed
examination of the appropriating authorities
later on. *S
It is also important to remember that this
public works program is offered as an alter
native for system which has failed. It has
failed in providing public facilities commensu-
rate with the tremendous growth of Washington
and the Metropolitan Area of which Wash
ington is the hub. 1t has permitted vital needs
to accumulate, by ignoring them, until the cost
Of meeting them Is far beyond the resources Of
current revenue. 1t has used heavy increases
Of local taxes to Offset the steadily declining
proportion Of the Federal payment, instead Of
providing adequate public services. continue
ton of that system means a still heavier burden
OF local taxation without making a dent in
accumulated public needs
The Star hopes that the public works pro-
gram will be considered In Congress by joint
committee of the House and Senate District
Committees. If such a committee concludes
that the public works program is not the
answer, some other method must be found to
accomplish the same thing.