acquire, develop, maintain, and operate a park
system with recreational facilities, the expense of
which, including debt service, is paid from a sepa-
rate park tax levied within the district. The Com-
mission is authorized to cooperate and negotiate
with federal agencies for financial assistance and
with other agencies in the park development pro-
gram. In Prince George's County the Commission
operates the County's recreation program.
Within the Maryland-Washington Regional Dis-
trict, the Commission is empowered to make,
adopt, and amend a General Plan for the Physical
Development of the District, which takes into ac-
count all factors of urban, surburban, rural, and re-
gional planning. The two County Planning Boards
have exclusive subdivision control, power and ju-
risdiction over street grades and locations, public
buildings and utilities, and after the adoption of a
Master Plan of Highways, over street naming and
house numbering. The Planning Boards have advi-
sory zoning powers, but the zoning ordinances and
amendments are enacted by the County Councils
sitting as District Councils for the portion of the
district within their respective county. Through the
Planning Boards the Commission recommends
land use or zoning ordinances and similar ordi-
nance subject matters to the respective District
Councils. The administrative and planning ex-
penses of the Commission are paid from an admin-
istrative tax levied within the regional district.
The taxes levied by the Commission, which are
collected in both counties, are as follows for Fis-
cal Year 1977-1978:
Montgomery County
Regional District:
Administrative Tax 7.50< /SIOO
Metropolitan District:
Park Tax 21.70< /SIOO
All County:
Advance Land Acquisition Tax 1.00< /SIOO
Prince George's County
Regional District:
Administrative Tax 7.09< /SIOO
Metropolitan District:
Park Tax 20.601 /SIOO
All County:
Advance Land Acquisition Tax I.OIt /SIOO
Recreation Tax: 8.27< /SIOO
(Code 1957, Art. 66D).

WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY
COMMISSION
Chairperson.'Johaana S. Norris, 1981
Vice-Chairperson: David S. Scotton, 1979
Vera Berkman, 1979; Bert Cumby, 1981; Marvin
L. Gay, 1981; Andrew M. Vislosky, 1979.
Robert S. McGarry, General Manager
William S. Lindung, Secretary
George H. Nagel, Treasurer
Paul J. Hefferon, General Counsel
4017 Hamilton Street
Hyattsville 20781 Telephones: Customer Services
699-5600
General Offices
699-4000
24-Hour Emergency Service
699-4555
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commis-
sion, the governing body of the Washington Sub-
urban Sanitary District, created by Chapter 122,
Acts of 1918, consists of six members, three of
whom are from Prince George's County and three
from Montgomery County, appointed by the
governing body of each county.
When the Commission was organized the Dis-
trict's service area covered ninety-five square
miles: forty-one miles in Montgomery County
and fifty-four miles in Prince George's County.
The District had a population of 32,000 and a to-
tal assessable tax base of $20,000,000. In
succeeding years, the General Assembly has made
additions to the service area, and the Washington
Suburban Sanitary District now contains about
1,000 square miles within Prince George's and
Montgomery counties adjacent to the District of
Columbia. The present Sanitary District has a
population of more than 1,200,000 and an assess-
able tax base of approximately $11,000,000,000.
The Commission provides for the construction,
maintenance, and operation of water supply and
sewerage systems; it has jurisdiction over storm
drainage in Prince George's County only. It
regulates and inspects plumbing and gas fitting
installations in both counties. The Commission
has been designated as the organization responsi-
ble for the administration, maintenance, and