Evening star., 1913-12-17

There has been reasonable growth in
Washington's assessed valuations, and in
per capita TAX valuations and i'll per
capita tax levy IN the three years from
1:&o to 1907, inclusive. and in the -four
years from 1910 to 1913, inclusive.
Wasiington's increase in assessed vaiG-
alton is the more notable in that there
has been a constant decrease in its AS
sessed and taxed area. While other Amer
lean cities are steadily charging their
boundaries and by direct annexation in
creasing from year to year by millions
| their assessed valuation, in the case of
the District of Columbia there is Il steady
reduction in the absolute amount OF tax
able real estate from year to year. cor
responding to the conGcmnations made
by the national government in the fed
eral district and the nations city for pub
lie purposes. For instance, in creating
Rock Creek Park and the Geological Park
the government took nearly 2Go acres OF
land from the Districts tax list and put
them in the exempted column. y similar
effect was produced. for further example,
when valuable blocks of land We're con-
demned as the sites for the Congressional
Library building and the So-called city
post office. So iii the condemnation OF
land south of Pennsylvania avenue re-
Sulting III the withdrawal of five city
squares from the Districts tax revenue
producing property. i'll which case the
District taxpayer We're required to Fay
one-haf the cost of proceedings which
decreased b. several million dollars the
assessed real estate which bears the bulk
of NaShingtons tax lurden. So in the
recent condemnation of valuable squares
constituting the Capitai-Union station
plaza Clearly where an increasing ag-
gregate valuation IS placed upon de-
creasng property list the burden of as
scsSrnent uEon that property grows
heavier and heavier with abnormal
rapidity.
The increase IN Washington's assessed
valua ton is also notable, because it lacks
the great factors of increase in nlanufac
turing plants and commercial industries
which make up the bulk of growth OF
assessment in the ordinary American city.
The great plants and industries of Wash
;ngton ;.re governmental and while they
have expanded normally they are exempt
from taxation. and this growth does not
figure in the tax assessment.
Therefore IN comparing the growth OF
assessment valuations in Washington
with that OF the commercial and manu-
featuring cities like Cleveland, Baltimore.
Cincinnati, milwaukee,, New Orleans and
Detroit, for instance, il must never be
forgotten that Washington largely lacks
the millions of taxable property which
are found III the American business city
IN the twenty-story skyscrapers. in the
solid blocks OF business establishments.
and in the warehouses and factories.
Wasnington's greatest and almost only
onspicuous and notable factories are
the government workshops, such as the
| bureau of engraving and printing and
| the government printing office. Wash
| ington's greatest business esta Dlishments
! are the government departments. with
! their thousands of employees. These fac
!! tories and these business establishments
| cut no figure in Washinston's assessed
! valuation. for they are within the ex-
| empted fraction of the capital, which
/ belongs to the nation.
+; How ridiculously low would be the as
| sessed valuation of any OF these CONNER
! cial and manufacturing cities if its list
| OF taxable property were similarly treated
/ and there We're stricken therefrom its
| principal factories and business establish
ments. How quickly would the people of