Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04

/ tHo uScai year lNU0 was $ZSS, 4ol 800 ptO-
| ducins revenue Of 1851 ,S29.7S For the
fiscal year 1907 the valuation will be $241.-
sos, 4e4 an increase of 81, s44.5O9. with cor
responding increase in the revenue to the
total sum of 81. 409. 597.<3. The development
OF the suburban section Is illustrated by
Bloomfngdale had 81 houses; now U57 are
assessed. LeDroit Park addition had 20
houses. as against 69S at the present time.
Doobins' addition was vacant land; 1t now
contains 1S2 buildings. Moore & Barbour s
ADDITION. which was tract OF twenty
seven acres with one old building, now pos
sesses 237 fine houses. These subdivisions.
| lying contiguous to each other, have now
an estimated population of 5000 and q
totai OF 1874 dwellings. with six very sub
stantial church edifices. Other subdivisions
nave similarly progressed. 1t Is also
worthy of note that the assessment records
| show that a large number Of old buildings
are being replaced by fine structures.
ine citizens Of the District continue In
their endeavor to obey the personal tax
law. This statute. taxing as 1t does only
franchises and tangible property, Is mod
crate and equitable. 1t makes each tax
payer. however. his own appraiser in the
nrst instance. and perhaps the most difhcult
portion of the duties OF the tax appraiser Is
that Of reconciling the widely divergent
| ideas OF values held by citizens as to the
same kind of personal property. In the
assessment OF real estate many problems
nave been encountered. but the fact that
very Few appeals have been submitted to
| the board Of equalization and review in
dicates that the work Of the assessors has
been carefully and eonscientiously executed.
Some additional laws are required. For
| instance Congress should enact a statute
prohibiting the refunding of taxes, whether
que 70 assessment Of excessive area, dupll-
cate payment. or any other cause. for a
cedent to the date Of application. Under
statute already existing the District is de-
barred from going back more than three
taxation and the rule should work both
ways. It Is already provided by law that
two years shall be the limit for the re-
funding Of water taxes enormously paid,
and this law has not been productive OF
any hardship.
1t Is also suggested that a change be
| made in the act Of August IA, 1894, which
provides that the board Of equalization and
review of real estate assessments shall con-
vene on the first Monday in January for
the hearing of complaints against the re-
turn Of the board of assistant assessors
and shall continue In session up until the
third year, after which time they shall re-
ceive no more complaints. In view Of the
fact that there are very few complaints
received until within the last ten days OF
board has not sufficient time to consider
all appeals fairly and make return to the
assessors office In time for the assessment
ledgers to be compared. 1t is recommended
| on the second Monday in January in every
third year and receive appeals from the as
sessment of the board Of assistant assess
ors up to and including the third Monday
In April, after which time no more ap-
peals should be received or considered. This
would give the board ample time to do JUS
tice to both the citizens and the District
and enable them to turn over the books
to the assessor for compilation of the tax
ledgers In ample time to be made up for
the November collection.
The bill regulating licenses. which was
submitted to the Congress at the last ses-
sion. ought to be enacted at the earliest
opportunity.
The most important addition to the mu-
nicipal records during the year was &C.
complished under the provisions Of the act
entitled IAN act to designate parcels OF
land in the District Of Columbia for the
purposes of assessment and taxation. and
for other purposes" This work; which was
the limit of the appropriation. gives q sue
dnct and specific designation to every par
eel Of land In the District Of Columbia, out
side of the city of Washington. Its value
from the assessment point Of view will be
to compel the prompt payment of taxes,
inasmuch as sales Of property for delin-
quent taxes cannot in the future be set
aside on the ground OF insufficient and in
accurate description.
Taxation Of National Banks.
The question Of the taxation Of national
banks and trust companies is one that
ought also to be brought to the attention
OF Congress. At the time Of the nect-
ment of the existing personal tax law the
national banks had escaped taxation
through the invalidity Of the previous
statute, and. apparently. as a penalty there
for, tax of per centum per annum was
imposed. 1t is suggested that this tax be
now reduced to per centum per annum,
less amount of interest received from gov
eminent bonds Regarding the latter fea-
ture. 1t should be stated that the act of Feb
ruary 25 1862, and subsequent acts now en-
vised Statutes. provide that 'all stocks,
bonds, treasury notes and other obliga-
tons of the United States shall be exempt
from taxation by or under state or NUM-
cipal local authority Notwithstand-
ing this declaration, the federal government
by the act of July l. 1902, provided that in
the District of Columbia 'ail national
banks and trust companies
shall pay per centum per annum on their
entire gross earnings" AS the latter in
clude interest on government bonds, the
result Is that section 37Ol of the Re
vised Statutes is nullified and the District
where a tax is imposed on the interest upon
government bonds.
1t Is also submitted that the tax of 6
per centum upon national banks is excessive
because it is imposed simply on account
of the occupation which Is pursued. These
institutions, invested with corporate pow
erS for the convenience ana service OF the
community, are conducted, Of course, for
the profit of their shareholders. but this Is
true of every private corporation. The real
estate which they own and occupy Is sep
arately taxed upon its assessed value. Their
business does not involve the use or oc-
cupancy of the streets or highways and
in no sense do they burden the municipality
by appropriating or using any public prop
erty.
Under the present law the trust compa-
MES are taxed per centum per annum
upon their gross earnings. It Is recon-
mended that this tax be reduced from 6 to
per centum, less amount of interest paid
to depositors. 1t Is believed that the wis
dom of this recommendation is apparent in
view of the fact that Congress by the act
of April Is, 1904 reduced the tax upon in
corporated savings babnks from 6 to per
centum upon gross earnings. less interest
paid to depositors. This legislation favors
the stockholders Of savings banks as
against the stockholders of national banks
and trust companies. No substantial rea-
son, 1t is submitted. can be urged for such
discrimination unless the stockholders of
savings banks are to be thus preferred over
the individuals whose funds are invested in
the shareslof national banks and trust COM
panies. Certainly equality Of treatment in
this regard in respect to both classes of
stockholders Is only fair and right, for
upon them the burden primarily falls, as
their profits are diminished in just the pro-