Evening star., 1954-12-29
SanitdrYAgencY
Votes Budget
0fS1O.7 Million
Cost of Peace Cross
Work to Raise Tux
Gent in County


The washington Suburban
Sanitary Commission has ap.
proved a SLOT million operating
budget for 1855. which calls for
1-cent tax increase for Prince
Georges County residents Of its
bi-county jurisdiction.
The budget, which becomes
effective Saturday. was ap-
proved yesterday by Chairman
Raymond w. Bellamy and Com
missioner l.. S. Ray. subject to
a public hearing scheduled for
2 pm. January IA in the COM
missions Hyattsville headquar-
tiers.
The 1-cent increase, to be
added to the present sanitary
tax of 10 cents per 800, swill
yield $35,700 to pay part of the
commissions share of the Peace
Cross Flood Control project.
Commitments Cited.
Commission Controller Rus
sell H. Kepler said the agency
has obligations Of $50 .287 In
connection with the first years
flood control work. The commits
sion's share of the complete SIT
million flood project is $478. 900,
and Mr.. Kepler said further tax
increases probably will be nee
essary. Bonds sold to finance the
work run for IS years, he pointed
cut.
The flood control project is q
joint undertaking Of the sani-
tary commission. the county,
the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
the State Roads Commission
and the Army Corps Of Engi-
neers.
Mr.. Kepler said controversial
sewer. water and refuse disposal
rate increases passed by the
commission in May, 1858, with
out a public hearing. will wipe
out, by 1857, operating deficits
that have been carried on the
books since the agency was
started in 1918.
Deficits Now Dropping.
The commission began 1864
with deficit of $8l9,522, he
said, and will end 1855 with an
estimated deficit of only $780,
234. The maintenance and op-
Grating department will be on
a pay-as-you-go basis in another
two years, Mr.. Kepler said.
The doubled rates permitted
the commission to increase its
surplus for water supply from
$495, ,649 this year to an esti-
mated S64e,B39 in 1855, the
budget disclosed ii Deficits in the
sewer and Montgomery County
refuse collection accounts will be
correspondingly reduced because
of the rate increase.
The new budget, which in
cludes an additional $13.8 million
in bond money for construction.
reflects mounting public pressure
for administrative reforms inside
the sanitary commission. Two
New York consultants hired to
help the commission out of q
fiscal and organizational tangle
this year reviewed the budget.
Mr.. Kepler said. He said the
budget is a big improvement but
said that 1t should include more
detail.
For the first time. the budget
includes some breakdown Of the
expenses of the commissions
departments and Offices. The
agency held its first public
budget hearing last year after
the unannounced rate increase
brought a howl from citizens
groups. Last years budget was
completely bare of any detailed
breakdown.
Ceiling for Departments.
Also new, the controller said.
is plan to put some teeth In
the budget" by requiring depart
ment heads to adhere to their
budget requests and not to-
exceed one-twelfth Of the total
amount in any one month.
The commissions 1855 operat-
ing revenue will be $34,137 less
than the $5.426,185 set aside for
operating expenses of the water.
sewer. refuse and storm drainage
systems.
But with the new emphasis on
pay-as-you-go, officials pointed
out. a 100000 expenditure for
new equipment has been in
cluded in the estimate of oper-
ating costs. New equipment al
ways has been purchased with
bond money before this, Mr..
Kepler said. adding that the
pay-as-you-go practice Is ap-
proved by the commissions con-
sultants. :.
The commission will issue
about $8.5 million In new bonds
in 1855, the budget anticipates,
using about SO million in bond.
money now on hand to meet .
requirements of the s13.8 million :
construction program. :