Evening star., 1902-01-08
No More Tax-Money Needed.

No More Tax-MOney Needed.
An unfortunate disposition prevails just
at present among our legislators and even
in some of the local associations of citizens
to debate the financial problems now con-
fronting the District in the spirit of de-
rnand for a radical change in the method
of raising the revenues, involving greater
muIcting of the property owners in taxa
tion. This tendency. in The Stars opinion
denotes a misconception of the real issues.
The demand is rot for more local revenue
from taxation, but for some emergency
method Of raising a fund which Will pro-
vide for the extraordinary projects now
pending. The need is not for a larger vol
ume of local income from year to year,
save as the values of the District property
and the current expenses of the municipal
government naturally increase, but for
constant equalization of the taxation bur-
den so that it will fall with even weight
upon all the people. according to their abil-
ity and duty to pay.
Under the established method of taxation
the District for many years raised a-larger
annual sum than Congress was willing to
meet with federal money, dollar for dollar,
in the maintenance of the District. The
result was the accumulation of a surplus
That surplus has now given place to
deficit in the local treasury, caused by the
unjust imposition of street extension
charges wholly upon the District, in viola
tion of the organic act.
Had the street extension bills been equal
ly divided according to the principles of
equity between the District and the federal
government after the benefits were deduct
ed, and had the heavy charges for the wa
tor ions hpe in hp mas Of
continuously from the water revenues in
stead of from the general fund, there would
today be abundant revenues and no need to
consider the fiscal methods of the District,
save in the natural administration of the
tax laws The issue today Is therefore,
not between more revenue and less, but be-
tween one and another method of securing
an extraordinary fund by the negotiation
of some form of loan, to be liquidated in
the future.
All suggestions of radical changes in the
taxation methods for the purpose of in
cTeasing the local tax burden are untimely
and unwise- This is not the season to ex-
pertinent with strange devices for raising
local revenues or to impose special taxes.
The burden of the taxation necessary to
raise the specific annual amount required
of the District under the organic act
namely, one-half of the approved esti-
mates. should, of course. be uniformly and
equitably applied to all taxpayers. If there
are inequalities in applying the land taxes,
the law provides method of adjustment.
If any individual or any body of citizens
feel that they are being assessed more
heavily than Is warrantable- In view of
the assessments of others in the same cat
egory. they have the agency of equaliza-
tiOn at hand for their ends. The whole
process, indeed, should continue to be one
of equalization by lowering excessive as
sessments- There Is no reason for a gen.
eral demand for higher taxation and no
need for taxpayers to wrangle among them
selves to which should bear the addi-
tiOnal burden
A persistent discussion of the Districts
needs by its own people along the lines of
urging increased taxation and suggesting
additional methods of taxation cannot fail
to work serious harm to the local interests.
Presumably no Intelligent Washingtonian
desires that the District should be so har-
raised with all conceivable forms Of mu-
nicipal tax to wiring from 1t an extorted
revenue, far exceeding the amount required
under the organic act Demonstration Of
the capacity to exact such taxes from q
helpless community would perhaps tempt
Congress to repeal the organic act and
thereby compel the District thenceforth to
60 it alone in the maintenance of a ma
tional capital Let well enough alone equal
lie our tax burdens by means of the pro-
cesses already provided and solve the loan
problem now pressing for solution.