Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-02
The "Tax-Dodgers Haven"

Throughout the debate Yesterday ran the
charge, variously stated, that the people OF
the District pay less in taxes than other
Americans, the assumption being that the
governments payment Of approximately
half Of the local expenses keeps the per
capita charge upon the individual citizens
below the usual amount. Thus Mr. Ruck-
er said, referring to the suppOsititious Dis
trict man who fees to another Jurisdiction
to evade the payment Of taxes:
But, go where he may, he will find no
place OF retreat, no haven of security from
taxation such as is now being enioved nv
the owners OF great wealth in Washington"
Whether owners of great wealth" or cit
liens in moderate circumstances, the peo-
PIE or washington pay taxes today along
with the average of Americans. Their per
capita property tax payment the only true
test of the burden of taxation, was in the
census year slOS3, exclusive of the govern
ments payments. and a this rate Washing
ton stood 80 among 1874 cities, with such
communities as Chicago, Cleveland, Omaha
Kansas City and Indianapolis below it in
the list Inc unmiStakabl inference is
that II the Washngtonian seeking to eyaGe
taxes or 10 tighten the tax burden were to
move abroad he would find more cities
where he would be less heavily ;nulcted
than cities which would take larger sum
from his pockets
Posterity and the Present TAXPAYER.
Speaking to Mr. McDermotts proposition
N+40t NA4C SoSL oL the permanent improve
ments should be borne mainly by poster
lily, Mr. Burkett declared that there was
no reason 10 change the present system as
long as there is not imposed upon the tax
payers in the District "a burden larger than
the taxpayer pays in the average city OF
the United States.'
He ignored the fact that the per caDita
tax burden upon the Washingtonian is
already higher than in the average CITY.
and that If the impending assessment is
equal TO expectations and the personal tax
law yields its estimated revenues, it will he
much heavier than that of the average CITY.
In the event of the prospective taxes Weld
ing the expected revenues, from both real
and personal property Washingtonians will
eacn pay property tax per year of SIS. so
exclusive Of what the government pavs or
higher than IS paid by the individual citi-
zen Of rs of the 134 cities above RI 600 II,
population And II is the per capita pay
ment on the basis Of what it is proposed 10
tax the District under the pending pIans
which Will stand for the burden TO be horne
by the present generation in providing the
works of this character.
Mr.. De Almonds Claim.
The same idea Of the low taxes of the
District was advanced by Mr. De Almond
when he said:
I'm large majority of the congressional
districts the people are taxed very much
more than those of Washington cty-some-
times three or four times as much Then
the claim cannot be made that taxation
ought to be lowered here because taxation
IS here excessively high for in fact IL Is
low here and not high
The instances in which this fallacy was
repeated are too numerous to be detailed.
Yet not even Mr.. McDermott who dis
played broader knowledge of local con-
di'ions than any other participant In the