Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-13


1t had incurred. In 1873 the
amount OF the contributions of
the resident taxpayers toward the
expenses OF the capital was fixed
by law at one-half the total
amount. the nation tardilv and M
adequately fulfilling its original
agreement. The people OF Wash
in2ton. under this agreement,
make a double contribution. First,
as american citizens. paving ma
tional taxes direct and indirect.
they contribute their proportions
ate share OF the national money
expended on the capital, and, sec
ond. as local taxpayers. they con-
tribute an amount equal to that
supplied by the people of the
United States as a whole, includ-
ing themselves They are thus
assessed on both sides of the part
nership, and they are the only
contributors who have no saw in
the partnership affairs. for they
are American citizens only for the
purpose OF taxation and military
service, and not for the purpose
of representation in the national
Legislature. which controls all the
partnership concerns.
l. The burden imposed BY
Congress upon the local taxpayer
IS fully as heavy as that which
the average self governing munic-
ipality imposes upon itself, and
in view OF the peculiar disabili
ties under which the District of
Columbia labors, its tax is harder
to bear than that of the average
| American community.
,. Washington's tax levy, COM
bining tax rate and assessment
and measuring accurately the real
tax burden, is higher per capita
than that of I2o Of the 1888 other
American cities.
;. In comparing the per capita
tax levy of Washington with that
OF other cities it is to be consid-
cred that the contribution in lieu
Of taxes OF the largest QUASI tax
payer is. in Washington's case,
omitted from the calculation. 1t
is as if the steel trust and other
great plant-owning corporations
were omitted from the tax levy of
Pittsburgh. If Uncle Sam was
treated in the calculation as a
single taxpayer. his tax contribu-
, ton added to the levy and his own
name added to the population,
Washingtons per capita would be
doubled. amounting to S28.I2, 4
greater per capita than that Of any
other city over 100000 population.
except Boston and New York. AMI
nearly doubling such typical cities
OF WasEingtons class as Detroit.
Milwaukee. New Orleans, Newark
and Louisville.
a. Not one Of the cities with
which Washington is compared
has 50 large percentage OF float
ing non-taxpaying population
as the capital. with its one-third
negro population and its thou
sands of temporary visitors and
the government employees. and this
non-taxpaving population reduces
the nominal per capita tax lew
without reducing it in fact BY cas!,
contributions. Not one of the
cities enumerated has so few
nonev-making resources in man
ufactures. trade and commerce.
in proportion TO its population, to
meet this drain of taxation.
:. Clearly Washington's tax
lew not only averages up in ac-
tual figures with those OF other
American cities. but for the rea-
son stated it must be doubled m
order to make fair comparison
with other cities. and even with
out this doubling its tax burden
is owing to its peculiar condi-
tioos. harder to be borne than
that of any other municipality
with approximately the same CEN
sus figures of tax levy.
Not only is washinstGns realty assess.
mont excessively high when comparef
/ viii, that of other American cities but its
! total tax valuation. combining real ana
| personal property, shows a similar extra
| ordinary excess,
TOTAL. VAIL ATOMS.
! I;eai and Fer CAP.
| personal Ponu assessed
prppertv laiion, valuation.
| CInyei,uH ... S.1i .aln,'a., ."o.it.i S4" -
.;,,.; o,f o.: 800 Pc, sci rs
| ,,,''a.,ta. n.- ~. I-n .:I5 81 GSo -
New orleans .,ftH'il'i+t 49,, 49,,
/ Niuiear"> -Ls.I $3.50 -, 80 nv,
! louisville 49, -. .-.,.s- 49,.
/ iIidiana,olis lNti T. ab ,,.,.oT, -, -
uI,tnytor cIO346t;t :ssf ,O8a 9374t
-, ,.a S,il o., 4e37ls s0t.?S
I,afroft 80 go aso 49,, iiS 1855
..,''ltPL,, 'tt--'-t ~ ora -,76 .41 4sp 1855
! , ,,,. oil 5G1 lis cs7 ia an2oa
/ ,t ~ Ia Go ~ olS3si 6o2 AZ
S.,,+I,. 2u- go. AS ~, 1914 s6,-'sS
| -; ,a,,,.o ,5o Ia $50 c2i 326 1.l55.2eS
The taxed fraction Of the real estate or
/ the city and the limited personal property
are valued in 1910 at over thirty-f1ve mil
| lions more than the whole real ana per-
| -. liz T~1-.v