Evening star., 1955-11-24
Area Transit
Commission
Drafted
Proposal Outlined
For Submission
To New Congress

mergers and provision for pos
Isible Government ownership, will
be considered next week for rec
ommendation to Congress.
The proposal. suggesting es-
tablishment Of q Washington
metropolitan Area Transit Dis
Itrict and a commission Of the
same name, would require ap-I
proval by the Legislatures Of Vir-I
lginia and Maryland and by Con-
Igress.
1t Incorporates several fea-
lures expected TO help entice
Virginia ratify the compact.
despite that States previous re-.
Ifusal to have anything to do
with the idea.
Provides for Secession
These include the right Of veto
Iby the Jurisdiction most affected.
the right of secession on one
years notice and budgetary con-
troll by the States and by Con-
greSs.
The proposal for the compact
commission was drafted by
Jerome M. Alper, Washington
attorney and consultant. for pre-
sentation to the District, Vir-
ginia, Maryland and Federal Of
Ificials directing a 100000 study
Iof Washington metropolitan area
transit and transportation prob
Ilems.
Following a preliminary ses-
sion last week. they will meet
December 2 to consider the final
form in which it should be sub
mitted to the White House and
TO Congress in January.
History of the proposal goes
back to 1852, when the Virginia
and Maryland Legislatures failed
to act on proposals for a COM
pact commission to regulate
transit in the Washington area
/ This was followed by efforts
to set up a regulatory commits
sion by direct Federal legislation.
which constantly were combined
with proposals for a study OF
area transportation problems -
including whether to set up the
commission.
Veto by Eisenhower
/ In one compromise. virginia
members of Congress dropped
their opposition when that
State was excluded from the
plan, but President Eisenhower
vetoed the bill, partly because
Virginia was not a part Of 1t.
I Later, the $4,000 study was
iauthorized-and half financed
lby the last session Of Congress.
las concession TO Representa-
tive Hyde. Republican Of Mary
land, an exponent Of the Federal
commission, the legislation re-
Iquired the study group to con-
slider the regulatory commission
first and report on 1t to Con-
Igress by next January.
Mr.. Alper's report favors es-
Itablishment of the commission,
declaring "simplification and in
Itegration of both regulation and
Operations are desirable, and :.
these obiectives can be attained
only by the Capitalization OF
regulation in a single agency"
He considers both the compact
commission and the Federal
commission vetoed by Mr.. Eisen-
hover and declares. The recon-
mendation of the report is that
the cooperation of the States
through an interstate compact
Is the preferable form of regula-
ton"
/ Quick Ratification Seen
The report says the compact
could be ratified quickly. Mr..
Alper points out that Legislative
representatives and representa-
tives from the utility regulatory
agencies of the States are par
ticipating in and cooperating
closely with the study being con-
Quoted by the National Capital
Planning Commission and the
National Capital Regional Plan
ming Council"
After extensive consultation
with these officials. Mr.. AlperI
says, I'm the absence Of consti-I
| tutional problems in Virginia Il. :.
lit appears that the compact
could be executed in the early
part Of 1885, He points out that
the Virginia Legislature meets in
January and says the Maryland
Legislature may be called into
special session early in the year.
LAS q matter of procedure,
identical bills would be presented
Ito the Legislature in each COM
pacting Jurisdiction. Upon en-
actment by all the signatory
members, the compact will be-
come binding upon the local gov
ernments, subject to the con-
sent Of Congress.
Cites Incoming Session
"The time schedule would per-
NIT the presentation of the rati-
fled compact to the Congress at
the second session Of the 84thI
Congress" which meets Janu-
lary 8.
Also, discussing the relation OF
the commission to the $400, 900
study, Mr.. Alper says, "the ex-I
ecution of the interstate COM
pact and the institution Of area
wide regulation need not be de-
ferred until the completion of
such studies"
He proposes that the District.
Virginia and Maryland each ap-
point a member Of their regula-
tory commissions to the new
agency, and invite the Federal
Government to name a member
The chairman would be selected
annually.
Salaries would be paid by the
appointing governments, which