The Washington times., 1915-11-09
RICHARDS ANSWERS
BROWNIES CHARGES
District Assessor Goes Before
Fiscal Relations Inquiry to
Reply to Accusations.
CONTINUED from First Page

the methods used In levying assessments
IN Washington was the fact that the
Commissioners estimatec. under the
present law, are controlled by the
amount raised through taxation by the
assessors office. Beginning with n de-
NAL that he mad ever reduced the
assessments upon property owned BY
Charles &. Glover, as was charged by
Herbert j. Browne or that he had the
power to reduce assessments even II he
desired to do so. Mr.. Richards proceeded
with II defense of the islI-lj assessments
and squoted figures from sales In all
parts OF the city showing that the
assessments were in most cases not far
In advance of the sale rRices.
Senator Salisbury brought out the
point that, theoretically, the assessor
had fun power under tho law. 10 in
crease the annual expenditure In Wash
.nston by about $6.0OO.0O. Asking Com
issloner B1ownlow to return to the
stand Senator Saulsbury said:
Your total assessment here Is about
t5@,oo.O O0o. Assume for convenience that
IT Is $iOO.W0.OO: that means OF two
thirds basis that the full value Of this
property Is s6N0.00,0c0. Is II not within
a basis OF $500 obs. 900 and thus raise the
taA, without changing the present rate
OF 3i.vo from s2.Vo.ooo to ss.oJo.Vo?'
theoretically True.
missioner Brownlow.
In other words. without knowing
anything about the needs OF tne Dis
trict and II the haif-ana-half plan wefe
rigidly adhered to. the Assessor could
30 aheau and raise sy.VJ.UV IN taAes
and the Government would have to pay
So,OU.vp more than 1t now pays to meet
the Districts contribution"
"All that IL true II there were such
M hal .l-l. al nj. t...t
Commissioner Brownlow. Il am gisu
10 have that brought out. because IL
shows that Congress has raid but little
attention to the haif-and- half pisn."
Let US see whether that Is true"
SAID senator Works. DO you Inesn
that Congress Is not Influenced by Inc
estimates of the Comniissioners?'
They are Influenced OF course,' said
Mr.. Brownlow, but before the law lin
itiTg the estimates OF the Commissioners
TO twice the amount raised In the Dis
trict. the Commissioners probably est-
mated much more than double the
amount the District could pay and In
, many cases they probably got It. As
show here, the present plan could be
changed without altering the tax rate
or the basis OF assessment"
As soon a. Mr.. Richards had finished
all sides tried to get permission To ASK
| him questions. senator Salisbury rn<d
/ that no on. but members OF the COM
nittce could question him. whereunon
, A. S WorthingtOn placed series or
| questions In the hands OF Senator
! Salisbury. and Herbert Browne
| handed another list to CONGRESSMAN
! Gard.
! Reading frou Mr.. Brownies memo
randum, CONGRESSMAN Gard asked: is
! the statement true that you got much
! information regarding sale prices by
routine calls upon brokers
so Per Cent From Buyers.
! Mr. Richards explained that In all
cases an effort was made to get prices
| from owners and that In one section
which had been discussed In the vicin-
ity OF Petworth so per cent OF the sale
prices we're gathered from people who
bought the property.
! senator Works then put questions TO
! Commissioner Brownlow to bring out
whether the estimates forwarded 10
| Congress by the Commissioners were
limited by the amount raised by the
assessor.
Then. under the present methods. the
assessors office controls absolutely the
amount to be spent upon the District
OF Columbia"
| Commissioner Brownlow explained
that this could be the situation were the
| half-and-half principle adhered to.
TO approriate any more than that
would Violate the half-and-half prin'
Ciplc,' said Senator WORKS.
Yves. and Congress would have ia
put In Items that the Commissioned
could not under the law recommend"
Under those conditions " you and
your associates felt that the Distrir'
needed more money than double the
amount raised by taxes. you would b.
prevented from asking for IT,
I'VE have been thus prevented re
piled the Commissioner. I'm the pres
ent estimates some of the things w
should like to have asked for. could no
be included
Mr.. Worthlngton got Senator Saul-
bury to inquire of Corprnissioner Brown
low whether there had been any extra
vagance In the Districts administration
II do not think the expenditures herr
have been extravagant and l do moi
admit that they are twice those Of the
ordinary city az has been claimed.
said Mr.. Brownlow.
Praises Administration.
The Commissioner then PRAISED ad.
ministration of the city IN the past ant
continued. Il believe there Is no just
criticism that implies there has beer
oxtrav8gance either In appropriation.
or In notwithstanding them. Congress.
sometimes has been economical with
the District and sometimes liberal. but
generally these variations followed tn,
! curves OF other lnnnenccs
When questioned further by Senator
Works regarding the adequacy o
District appropriations ctmmissione
Brow nlow said: ~ believ" needed Sp
propriations at times have been with
held
Mr.. Worthington said that II had bee'
stated that the expenditures OF the DIS
trict have been adjusted to TT Its reVe
nues. and said he would like to asl
whether the Commissioners have point
ed that fact out to Congress or nske'
that II be changed
''If we haven't made It clear tiNt W
are opposed to the half-and-half plan,
replied Commissioner Rrownlow, 1T
no use trying any more
Regarding that feature then: No'
don't approve Of the haf-and-half pla
yourself" said Senator Works.
Il believe in the haif-and-half pltf
hut not In the way it Is administered,
replied Mr. Br0wnlow. III 1t had bee
carried out the way 1t was planne
originally we would not be having 'hi
trouble"
f.. W. Oyster then took the stand t
say that he did not believe that tn
assessor could legally tax the full Valu
of District property. He said h" la
talked this over with COMMISSIONS
| hnfn Ia nj