Evening star., 1955-11-24

made flscally independent OF its
creating members and limited to
financing by the issuance OF
revenue bonds or could be sup
ported by the general credit OF
the signatory members or through
a combination of both methods.
"The necessary amendment to
the compact would be executed
in the same procedure as the
compact itself, except that 1t
may not be necessary to obtain
the consent Of Congress.
". However, an amendment
to give the compact agency debt
issuing powers may, in this in
stance, require congressional ac-
ton because the District Of Co
lumbia would be Q participating
government.
Would Bridge Debt
under existing law. the Dis
trict Of Columbia does not have
the authorization to issue debt
on its own credit. This presents
no problem Of significance, as
Congress. acting In Its capacity
as the legislature for the Dis
Itrict Of Columbia. could specif-
ically empower the agency tc
issue securities.
IF it were decided that the
compact would be supported ny
the general credit Of the sigma
tory members, Congress could
provide for the financing OF the
District OF Columbia share OF
the compact expense"
In addition to the right OF
secession, Mr.. Alper proposes
the use of a veto power. Warn
ing against development Of a
majority bloc, he says:
Protection can be afforded
each jurisdiction by requiring the
affirmative vote of the commits
sioner appointed from the juris-
diction which is directly affected
with the particular matter under
consideration.
For example. If the matter
before the commission involved
a service or rate transportation
in Virginia, or between Virginia
and the District Of Columbia. the
issuance Of the order would re-
ouire the affirmative consent OF
the Virginia member"
Another View
Mr.. Alper. however. offers an
other view of the Virginia con-
stitutional question. declaring:
"The State Corporation Com
mission of Virginia is a consti-
tutional agency created BY :.
the Virginia Constitution. That
commission is constitutionally
charged :. with the regulation
of transportation companies
That term, as defined in . the
Constitution, does not include
motor carriers.
THE jurisdiction Of the State
Corporation Commission over
motor carriers is exercised pur-
suant to an act Of the House Of
Delegates. At the present time.
there is no intrastate transpor-
tation in. the Virginia portion Of
the metropolitan district by rail
or other modes Of transportation
included in the constitutional
definition and. therefore. no con-
stitutional question would arise
If the Virginia Legislature we're
to delegate regulatory power over
motor carriers to the interstate
compact commission.
Could Limit Jurisdiction
"In order to assure that the
question would not arise In the
future. the compact could pro-
vide only for jurisdiction over
transportation by motor carriers
In the Virginia portion of the
metropolitan district"
Even If Virginia should choose
not to let its intrastate transit
be regulated by the compact
commission. Mr.. Alper says. ''it
could retain jurisdiction over this
traffic which at the same time
its policies with re-
spect thereto with the policies
Of the interstate compact COM
mission.
This could be accomplished. he
says, through a "joint board
made up Of the COM
members-to make ad-
visory recommendations to the
Virginia Corporation Commits
sion.
Calling for the merger of exist
ing companies, Mr.. Alper says
"One Of the objectives Of area
wide unified regulation should