Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-17


The WashingtOnian's Tax-Burden.
y disposition which prevails now and
again in Congress to regard the people of
the District as too lightly taxed cropped
out once more yesterday at the hearing be-
fore the House District committee on the
subject of the proposed federal advance,
when Chairman Babcock stated that a
proposition might be made on the floor of
the House to amend the bill in question by
attaching provision like the Iowa per-
sonal tax law to assess at its full value
and to tax personal property in the Dis
trict. This suggestion. like many another
which has preceded ii of the same nature.
Is based upon total misconception of the
tax burdens already imposed upon the
Washngtonian.
There is a personal tax law in force here,
levied in 1880 upon over eleven millions
of property. Its enforcement is Difficult.
here as elsewhere, the more here be-
cause of the fact that large numbers of
residents. many of them the most
wealthy, claim domicile elsewhere for the
purpose of retaining political rights. 1t is
not material to the District whether they
pay their personal taxes in the states in
which they declare residence; they do not
pay them here. notwithstanding these
losses, however, the census returns of
1890 the latest formulated showed that
Washington is not ut the foot of the class
among cities in the matter of personal tax
payments In that year WaShinSton's
seSsed personal property, aggregating SILL
o0J.3oc. equalcd III value those of Omaha
and Denver combined. the largest and rich
est cities in their respective states with Il
combined population of 2i7. 165, against
combined valuations of Omaha. Des
Moincs. Kansas City. Kan, and Seattle.
each the largest and wealthiest city of its
state: with a combined population of OIL
Cos. II exceeded that of wealthy and pros
porous Buffalo with 5000 more popua
ton and S26.W1,0n more of total assess
ments. 1t was only S3,00o.UU less than
that of Brooklyn. with more than four
times Washington's population and over
three times its total assessment.
But assuming. for the purposes of argu-
ment. that Washington's personal taxes
are low, this fact would only serve to ac-
ccntuate the excessively high tax burden
which is imposed upon the real estate of
the capital. In another part Of todays
Star appears an article quoting at length
from a statement made some years ago
before the committees of Congress on this
subject. showing that Washington's taxes
are high not i'll the matter Of tax rate, but
clearly in the matter of assessed values
and in the matter. too. Of per capita tax
burden. # is shown, indeed, that the real
property of the capital is assessed to a
very high figure, far beyond the average,
and that the average taxpayer is more
heavily drawn upon for contributions to
the municipal support than in 500 out of
total of Loss American cities with 1900
and more of population.
The per capita tax levy of the census
bulletin upon the basis of which COMPARE
sons have been made between the tax bur-
den of Washington and those of other
American cities is the tax levy for all
purposes on both real and personal prop
crty. The comparison is between the total
tax burdens of the respective cities and If
III comparison with some municipalities a
smaller percentage of the total tax is i'll
Washington's case imposed personal
property It larger percentage in the same
proportion is in WaShington's case imposed
upon lis real property. an adjustment of
the total tax burden in respect easier
to bear.
In the face of this showing. both as to
the assessed value of the Washing onians
property ana the TAX DufueH WHlcn he Is
compelled to bear, ii is row sugge sted to
add to that burden by devsinS methods of
increasing local taxes. The injustice of
the suggestion is additionally apparent
when the occasion is scrutinized. The
present deficit in the local revenues arises
wholly a. u result of the Congressional
invasion OF the organic act by the IMPOSE
ton upon the District of an entire burden
which should have been shared equally by
the government. When the District asks
for IA federal advance to meet this deficit,
for which it is in no sense to blame. not
only does a congressional committee pro-
pose to charge the District interest, but
disposition Is suggested to go further along
the line of injustice by increasing the al
ready heavy tax load