Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-08
DOUBLING TAXES
IN WASHINGTON
The Browne : George Prouty
Bankrupting and Confiscatory
Realty Assessment
GueSSW0rk.
NEW AND DRASTIC TAX ON
INTANGIBLE PERSONALLY
Blistering City Unnecessarily With
Every Form of Tax Exaction
Anywhere Endured.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.

BY THEODORE w. MOVES.
Next Monday will he District day In
the House and the Johnson-Pr0utyb bill
may he pushed to vote. This bill
proposes ID TO increase the local tax
burden by one-half certainly and by
more than 100 per cent n the George
JOhnson-Prouty figures are correct. by
Safsing the assessment basis to full
valuation and retaining the tax rate
At the present figures; and t2b to I'M
pose an additional heavy burden Of
local tax by collecting excessive
tax rate on the full valuation Of in
tangible personality.
The first proposition has at Its
foundation the H. }. Browne guess of
18l: that there were S.44.OOO, 200 OF
taxable realty values In Washington In
that year. estimated ON the full vaIua-
non basis as "full valuation 1. under
stood throughout the United states in
the assessments Of it's cities.
Inc George taxation report OF 1919 al
ieses that real property in the District
OF Columbia is assessed s4141OOOO below
It's true value: the true value being s144.-
100000. while the assessment is only
s33p.OO0.OOO''
Tbs statement is based solely upon the
testimony and argument before the sub
committee of Witness H j. Browne. Mr..
Brownies evidence is not direct expert
appraisement of the value OF Washington
realty. but is the deduction of an eS-
Journalist from what persons questioned
oF MIN have said concerning local values
ana from what he has read and studied
IN the newspapers, or official reports. or
record books Of business men of Wash
inston on that subject Generalizing
from the statements. sworn and unsworn
OF individuals In respect 10 particular
cases In selected spots in the different
sectlons OF the city, Mr.. Browne developed
an infallible formula for ascertainins
Irue Taiues in all parts of Washington.
Tor the large suburban areas he multi
pied the actual assessment in every
case by five: for the business and fine
residence areas of the northwest he null
uplied the actual assessment in every
case by three and one-third: for middle
cass mouse sites he multiplied in every
case by two. For small home sites he
muItipiied in every case by one and two
foolish? iiiois
This valuation Of Washington realtv
vas in its totals grossly at variance
with the valuations of other far larger
and richer American cities. and was so
OBVIOUSLY unsound in generalizinc con-
eerninS whole sections from conditions
thousht to exist in particular spots. that
, was promptly and vigorously chal-
leneed LOT Washington in 1912 by the
practically unanimous action of the Board
o. Trade, and by facts and figures fur
hlshed by the assessors office.
me Johnson-Prouty report on the mutt
idteo george Dill gave full faith TO this
inaccurate and misleading statement OF fhe
george report and used il as a weapon
TO lnJure Washington. The Star reneated
~ i'i4 Washington's 1912 challenge of the
accuracy oil
that thorough investigation of ii would
be one OF the useful functions of AN i'm
partial tax commission for Washington.
Browne-George-Prouty Assessment.
Relatively to the other cities win
Which tax comparisons are made the
Washington assessment is already ex
cessi'eiy hish. To increase this assess
ment by 30 per cent as proposed by the
George bill would decrease the selling
value proportionately To double mis-
assessment. as by adding S4l4m0GO TO
ar assessment of $3.50 Ooo,OoO to bring the
Ns,datlen to the figures ts7i4.OooGn
OF 'hs George report of I31. would
mean quick and complete bankruntcy
Nash!hgtons taxed realty. as We have
seen, IS only fraction OF its area am,
constantly decreasing fraction. owing
10 successive condemnations Of taxed
real property by the government This
taxed fraction docs not include the citys
great workshops. its largest Industrial
plants represented in other cities By
nuns =, ] ana factories standing for millions
or taxable property. Here our great
mills and factories ard workshops are
tncie SANS property and do not figure
at all in the assessment roll.
The George report proposes to assess
snd tax decreasing fraction OF the
capifaPs area deprived of the heaviest
factors of real estate assessment at a
figure which values II as worth twice
hs much as the whole OF wealthy. busy.
industrial Baltimore, with 2a8. 7S4 great
er population: nearly twice as much as
fhc whole of the magnificent city of
cincinnati, with It's great Industrial es-
Establishments and its population A I,.1
larger than that of the District
The taxed fraction Of Washington is
valued at nearly S4J.nnGo more than
Baltimore and Minneapolis combined: at
nearly as much as Baltimore and Gin
cinnati combined, az $lSOo0SO more
than Buffalo and Newark combined: at
SftspopI more than three times as
much as the whole of New Orleans: over
sl1o.Hn.CU more than New Orleans ST
Paul and l,ouisville combined
the 5000 Washingtonians one-third
solored. and including an extraordinary
i,erce ntage OF non -,axpayin:, transients.
deprived OF the taxable resources and
even the usual means of self-support OF
the ordinary Industrial city. are To- pay
In taxes more than the s!Li,vst of Balti-
irorssns and M!nneHpolitans combined
St-stF ne dN'F.stt american rate OF taN3-
tiou Is 20 he applied. the 5000 Wash
iuG:Uu ia&pdy ers. nearly all small prop
ofty owners. crippled and eramped in
money making in every conceivable
fashion. are 10 pay in taxes 10 sustain
on :. national scale the nations city
far more than the aggregated taxpayers
OF New orleans. Louisville and ST. Paul
NY III municipal taxes.
Does not the proposition on The slight
est examination reduce Itself to an alb
srrIity"
TIVE following table gives the realty as
easements in 1872 OF the cities above re-
f.rred TO. raised TO the los Pc cent val
i!ativu basis;
Newark ................. Sol ..ta 6';i
Cincinnati .....-----.----...--. 3i.,.pb,bS
MINNEAPOLIS ...-..--.......... :1,7 49, 30
Yllffalo ...................... 49,. 81:
Rnltinore ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3T2.G51 5si-
CIexcland .................. 5lS.5,t2 4.
rIetrolt ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 42222 -. -
Eev Orleans Observation-Disclosures. DOB 9G;. ! u
indianapolis NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Zt-,-.SIol' II
7 ofIisyiIle ........,......... 15,JI,, 81.
81 paul. 1864. .9is
W ashington George valuatiom aii@pSs
Ttesc feur,s teach vivid anu IN