Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-01-11
Districts Taxation Basis Compared
With That Of Other Cities.
THE LOCAL BURDEN Is HEAVY
Changes Since the go Census
Presumably Reinforce the Showing.
ESTABLISHMENTS
EXEMPT

upon the citizens or the District having
been recently raised in connection with the
deficit in the revenues of the capital, to-
gether with the suggestion of Senator Nc
MILAN to the Commissioners that the as
sessment of property values be increased
to approximate the cash values, direct
comparison between the taxation methods
in vogue here and in other American cities
becomes once more of first Importance, to
the end of demonstrating that Washing
tonians are heavily taxed, despite the as
sumption, in theory, of one-half of the
municipal expenses by the general govern
ment. This comparison was drawn in 1898
on the basis of the latest statistics then
available, afforded by the census Of 1880.
Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes, then president of
the Washington Board of Trade, presented
the same in the course of statements made
before the District and appropriation COM
mttees of the Flfty-hfth Congress, which
the Board of Trade later published in a
pamphlet.
Although the comparison is based, as
stated, upon census figures ten years old,
it Is believed that their relation to the
situation of today Is direct, on the assump-
tion that the increases in the city taxation
assessments have been proportionate in the
various cities. The local real estate as
sessment of the District in 1890 was $123,-
1929 and last July it was reported at
years of $50, AS $3.50, or about 4SA per cent.
1t Is fair assumption that few cities can
show such heavy proportionate increase
in the tax basis.
DwindIing Body of Taxable Lands.
But there is factor in the taxation of
the District of Columbia which is absent
in the other cities, operating to the disad-
vantage of the local taxpayers. Since the
census of 1880 several large areas Of for
merly taxable land have been withdrawn
from this category by being added to the
governments holdings for public buildings
and for parks. Thus the increases have
fallen with added force upon the remain
ing portions of local land available for tax
alton. In taking lands for the Rock Creek
and the Geological parks the government
withdrew nearly 1900 acres from the Dis
tricts tax list and placed them in the ex-
empted column. This was also done in the
case of the Congressional Library and the
sites chosen for the post office building and
the government printing Office.
In other cities lands taken for municipal
or state purposes and exempted from taxa
ton are far more than balanced by the
large additions to the urban taxable prop
erty by the annexation of suburbs develop
ing rapidly into city property. The restrict
ed area of the District and the conserva-
tive, steady growth of the city OF Wash
ington minimize the local opportunity thus
to counterbalance the tendency of the gov
ernment to reduce the volume Of the tax
able property and thus to increase the
proportionate burden laid upon the Shout
ders of that remaining available for reve
nue. producing purposes.
Thus 1t may be assumed with entire conf
dence that the showing of the census statfs-
tics of 1890, as to the relative weight Of
taxation borne by the residents Of the Dis
trict, in comparison with those of other
American cities, applies to the situation to-
day, and presumably with even greater
force to illustrate the heavfiy-taxed con-
ditions of the local property owners.
The pamphlet in question proceeds in part
as follows:
I'm view of the effort to raise the stand
ard ard amount of the Districts tax assess
ment by increasing undervaluatfons instead
OF lowering overvaluations it is to be re-
membered that the local assessment Is al
ready in the aggregate grossly excessive
when compared with those of other Amerf-
can municipalities. The slightest examina-
ton in detail of the tables already printed
and Of other figures furnished by extra CEN
sus bulletin No. So demonstrates conclu-
siyely the truth Of this statement.
The Assessment of Washington.
THE assessed and taxed fraction Of
Washington is less than one-half of the en-
tire area the government owning the ex-
empted remainder. 1t appears that this half
Of the capital is assessed at more than
than three times the value of all Indanapo-
lis, IS per cent more than the value Of all
the great city Of Cleveland, and ten mill
ions more than two-thirds of the assess
ment of Chicago, with its vast area-more
than 1000, 900 inhabitants-and its numerous
and costly buildings and fine residences.
washington population 1882 accord
ing to the census of 1890 had less than
one-f1fth of the population of Chicago (pop-
ulation 1099, $50, while it's assessment was
much over two-thfrds of that Of Chicago
In other words, Chicago had more than
five times the population and only one and
one-third times the assessed valuation of the
taxed half Of washington. The assessment
of the whole Of Washington. including the
governments exempted half, would amount
to seventy-siX millions more than that Of
all Chicago.
1.-THE assessed half Of Washington (s123,-
I10,210 is assessed at nearly million
mere than the combined assessments Of
Cleveland, Ohio ($72, 734, 94O), and the fol-
lowing largest cities of their respective
states thrown in for good measure: Port
land. Ore. (s1S,025,17 Des Moines, Iowa
ts11 1874 ,44O); Sioux Falls, s. D. 60 100, 600 !;
Cheyenne. Wyo. 9s.0oo,ooo,; Kansas City
Tucson, Ariz C$7S1. 1900; Virginia City, New.
(SS6S, S4S)-s122, 376,975.
1.-The aggregated population of the cities
in the above list amounts to 437 ,a39. as
against 1892 for Washington, as follows:
Cleveland, 261 1853; Portland, Greg, 40 1856;
Des Moines. 50.O93; Sioux Falls, 10,177;
Cheyenne, II $50; Kansas City, Kan, IS, 316;
Fargo, 1864; Tucson, $3.50; Virginia City,
SSH.
Washington, Detroit and Omaha.
1.-The assessed half of Washington (popu-
lation 1888 1892; 1923, 11O,210 exceeds by more
than 100000 the combined assessments
of Detroit, Mich. ($105. $50, 49, and Omaha
Neb (s16, ,645)- 1921 s72 1913. Detroit (2O5,-
S76 was more populous than Washington.
Omaha was nearly as populeus 4O,452)
Both are richer cities, Detroit far richer
in property and resources.
"Of these cities the aggregated popula-
lions are 34632S, as follows: Detroit, 2O5,-
S76; Omaha. 14o. 452.
Turning to the south, the assessed half
Of Washington (123. 1I0,21N exceeds the
whole of New Orleans, with 242,039 of pop
ulation, over $1,000 larger than Washing
ton in 1890, with q number of other Cities
the largest In their respective states