Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-24
NEW ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Single Tax Under Future Legisla-
ton Also Predicted.
DRASTIC CHANGES POSSIBLE
Figures Showing How Congressional
Committee Reached It's
Conclusions

that the report of the George COM
mittee which Investigated local assess.
ment and taxation methods is intended az
the entering wedge for the abolition OF
the haif-and-half principle of appropriate
Ing for the District Of Columbia, officials
OF the assessors Office today called at
tention to the testimony Of Herbert J.
Browne. realty expert employed by the
committee. which Is conclusive evidence
they assert. that the overthrow Of the
dual arrangement by which the federal
government contributes to the support OF
the National Capital is under contempla-
ton by the congressional body.
In addition. the assessors made public
figures which are intended to throw light
on the question Of how the George conn.,
mittee arrived at its conclusion that real
property in the District Is assessed al
$414.OOO,OOO below its true value. The local
authorities declare that, in their opinion
the committee had no other object but
the abolition of the half and half prin-
ciple in view when they included in the
report the statement that property I'm the
District should be assessed at s1aNO,-
600 instead OF $330,OOO.OOO.
II is pointed out that there Is striking
similarity between the amount carried in
the Districts budget last year and the
amount that would be derived from tax.
ing $744.U0OO00 worth of real estate on q
11s per cent basis. Congress appro.
priated for the needs of the District last
year S12,OJ6 7S6. 10.
II property in the District should he
assessed at the rate Of 11s per cent or
the basis Of the valuation urged by the
committee. the amount produced would
creased by the s22OO,OOO that the loca
government receives through Other
sources, the total revenue which thus be-
comes available is s13.36O.UDU. or more
than the amount that was carried in the
appropriation bill of last year. OF which
half was donated by the federal govern
inent.
Expert Brownies Statement.
The testimony given before. the commit
tee by Herbert J. Browne. which the loca
authorities believe gives a fair index al
to the probable legislation that will bt
recommended In regard to the half-and
half principle, grew out of a discussion
regarding the condemnation of the site
for the House oflice building. In answe,
to a question by Representative Georgs
as to how the condemnation pr3ce com
pared with the assessment, Mr.. Browne
said the assessors figures were material
ly below what should have been obtained
The testimony given by the realty ex-
.Mr. George-How do you account Tor
this great difference?
'tMr. Browne account for it OH the
theory that the assessors are. and for the
fronted with the fact that If they assessed
the real estate of Washington adequa ely
they would. at the rate of $50 per 500
which is the personal property rate as
sessed and levied, produce a revenue SC
large as to direct the attention of Con.
fn 10 District
lumbia has sufficient property to furnish
all the revenue required for the expenses
of the District government.
Mr.. George-Do you mean without call.
ing upon the federal government for one
half?
Mr.. BrOwne-Yes.
''Mr. George-So that this would appea,
to show that the half and half principle
would not be needed.
''Mr. Browne-It would certainly not be
needed at the present rate OF ta~at' on, II
there were an adequate assessment Of the
real estate Of Washington"
Drastic Measure Expected.
Much speculation is being indulged in
by District government authorities as te
whether a substitute measure will be pre-
pared for the. George assessment and
taxation bill, which was INTRODUCED Janu.
ary IS last. 1t Is generally conceded tha
II such Is the case its provisions will be
more drastic than those contained In the
former measure.
No better line. it is urged. can be had
on the probable legislation Mr.. George
will try to engineer through Congress
next session than by inspecting sections
and 8 Of the bill introduced by him last
winter. The first OF these sections. II
ena cted into law, would lead to the install.
Ia ~ q hnr n IL
section is the one in which the menace
to the half-and-half principle of appro.
priating for the District is seen.
These two sections are as follows:
That In the year 1913 the land shall bt
assessed eleven-fifteenths Of its true value
and each year thereafter the assessmen,
shall be increased progressively as fol.
lows: In the year 1914 the assessment
shall be twelve flfteenths; in the year 1918
thirteen-fifteen.hs; In the year 1916. four.
teen-hfteenths: in the year 1917, and each
year thereafter. fifteen-fifteenths, or the
true value. In the year 1913 the improve
ments on land shall be assessed nine.
fifteenths Of their true value. and each
year thereafter the assessment shall be
decreased progressively, as follows: In
the year 1914 the assessment shall be
eight t-fifteenthss in the year 1915. seven
flfteenths; in the year 1916. six-fifteenths
in the year 1917. and each year there
after. improvements shall not be as
sessed.
THAT the rate Of taxation shall not be
less than l1s per centum each year upon
the assessed valuation. but this rate may
be increased to such amount as the Com
missioners Of the District of Columbia
may determine necessary depending upon
the amount OF revenue needed as previ-
ously determined and shown by the an
nual estimate submitted by the Commits
sioners for transmission to Congress-"
Single Tax Idea Advanced.
While the report OF the recent investiga-
ton does not refer specifically to a single
tax, 1t Is believed than an effort will be
made by Mr.. George to have reported a
bill providing for the installation Of a
single tax system here along lines gener-
ally similar to those enumerated in Sec
ton 8.
One Of the recommendation of the re-
cent report Is that there be full value
assessments, and that the taxation rate
Of IL per cent be discontinued the rate
to be determined by the budgetary needs
each year. This recommendation IL In
line with the requirements OF section
8, which stipulates that the taxation
rate may not be less than III per centum
a year. and that 1t may be increased by
the Commissioners to meet budgetary
needs.
1t Is known that Assessor Richards and
the Commissioners favor many of the
ioc;oga tive reforms urged by the commit