Evening star., 1902-02-05
Increasing Local Taxes.

Washington Is not a tax-dodger. Its rec
ord from the beginning IN the matter Of
shouldering the burdens of eapital-makins,
which were originally assumed by the ma
tional government, is well known at the
Capitol.
In 1873 the government which had In the
beginning impliedly undertaken to meet all
the expenses of capital-making and then
shifted that burden in the main on private
citizens decided that justice required 1t to
pay one-hah of the Districts expenses.
While the capital has always readily
raised by taxation its half of the approved
estimates. as required by the organic act,
1t has in every manner possible shown its
antipathy to resort to a personal tax as
one of the means of raising the required
revenue. Through long line of assessors,
an occasional Board of Commissioners, citi-
zens' associations and the Board of Trade,
it has pronounced this form of tax inequi-
table, oppressive, offensive and promotive
OF perjury, tax on conscience and We
racity. The capital has preferred to a per-
sonal tax high real estate assessment, a
license tax, tax on occupations. As the
Board of Trade has expressed the matter
IN 1900, and again a few days ago, the city
looks on a personal tax as 'inimical to its
interests
The organic act authorizes the raising by
local taxation of an amount equal to one
half of the approved District estimates. No
more and no less. During every year OF
the last twelve, with two exceptions, this
sum has been raised readily by what Is
practically tax on real estate and on cor
porations The capital has exceeded the
sum required Of it by very large amounts
in all these years with the two exceptions
he orY, oraI
hundred thousand dollars, and in one year
amounting to more than 100000.
Congress is now in effect readjusting the
methods of securing the Districts neces-
sary revenue. Why should not these funds
continue to be raised, by permission of
Congress. substantially in the way to which
the capital has grown accustomed? Why
should the ordinary personal tax be i'm
posed here where it is not desired or needed
merely because some other communities
have chosen to impose upon themselves to
meet their own needs such a tax? Is there
anything in law or equity or common sense
that requires every known form Of tax de-
vice, employed elsewhere, to be applied here
without any consideration Of the amount of
money required to be raised or the prefer
enceS of the taxpayers as to the manner
in which it should be raised? AS long
the capital is ready and willing to provide
every year its half of the approved esti-
mates what injustice Is done to anybody
in permitting its taxpayers to raise the
amount by the methods which they have
found most effective and least objection
able?
1t is insisted, however, that an increase
Of taxes is necessary to provide the reve-
nues to meet the sinking fund requirements
for extensive and permanent local improve
ments. AS already contended in The Star
the approval of estimates or the mourning
of obligations as through a federal ad-
vance which cali for this increased taxa
ton should reasonably and in accordance
with the explicit. provision of the organic
act precede the enlarged tax levy.
The legislation for the federal advance of
funds should first be approved, and then in
the light of the specific expenditures au-
thOrized the revenue-raising taxes should
be imposed.
The personal tax legislation is viewed by
the community as iniquitous on principle,
as inimical to its interests, as unnecessary
for raising required revenues and In any
case premature. in preceding the legisla-
tion for federal advance.