The Washington herald., 1915-11-12
WORKS BROADENS SCOPE
OF D. c. TAX INQUIRY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Mr.. Rees on the stand, declared he be
Iieved the present assessment is too higf
in view of the depression in real estate
holdings.
II think the war has caused a decline
throughout the nation" declared Col
Truesden. IT am not familiar with rea
estate conditions elsewhere, but the de.
preston in the District has been due &c
several causes. One has been the dull.
ness of unimproved property. due to the
large amount of building which has been
| going on for several years and which
has been overdone'
4, Amy other local reasons?'' suggested
Col Worthington.
There has been a good deal of agita-
: ton in Congress the last two or three
years as TO the repeal of the so-called
| haIf-and-half plan. ! think this agita-
ton has been large factor in depressing
\ values"
Public Is Fearful.
How does the half-and-half play a
part in public Opinion?'
The public fears that if the half-and-
| half plan is repealed, an increase in
! taxation necessarily Will follow. II the
city is to be taken care of as it has
| been in the past, money must come from
you think that is a fair rate?" asked
somewhere. and il the government with
holds its contribution, that contribution
will have TO be placed upon private prop
crty in the form OF taxation"
THE tax rate here now is fixed at Sl.50
per $lOJ on a two-thirds valuation; do
Senator Works.
Yes"
Your fear is that, with the abolition
OF the half-and-haf plan. this tax rate
would he Increased"
1t would OF necessity be increased. or
the extent of expenditures decreased
hDo you really think that Congress
would unjustIy tax the District OF
Columbia"
We know that during the early his
totry OF the District, Congress did very
little and the city languished and was
in the condition of virtual bankruptcy
when the Board of Public Works was
created
Then you think the half-and-half plan
treasures the people as to the probable
attitude OF Congress"
Afraid of Oyertaxation.
Yes, sir" And later, in reply TO an
other question:
Il think it has controlled very largely
the appropriations by Congress. We have
seen, time after time in the House. at
tempts to appropriate wholly from reve-
nues of the District which have been
ruled out on points of order
To be quite frank. you are afraid Of
overtaXation?'
Yes. sir; L am
Why"
Il know the amount now raised by the
District is not too great: in fact, it is
too small for the real needs OF the COM
munity, even if it should be matched.
dollar for dollar, by contributions from
the Federal Treasury. A large amount
of work for the health and convenience
of the city and the education of its chill |
dren is not done because appropriations
are not large enough. Now. il the half |
and-half plan is done away with We will |
have either to cut down the expense or
increase the tax rate
Did il ever occur to you that perhap. |
the existence Of the half-Rnd-half plan |
acts as limitation upon Congress in ap- |
propriating from the Federal Treasury
for District improvements"
I've heard it suggested, but 1 must
say that do not believe there is any
thing in it / think the demands upon
the public treasury and the necessityI
of political parties trying TO makeI
records through Congress makes il |
necessary to pare appropriations so |
much that, in many cases. they are J
inadequate. As the District has no |
representation and no vote. District |
interests must naturally expect TO