The Washington herald., 1915-12-12

4
Liquor licenses. whose cost to the =
cQenmdnity cannot be estimated. xsz
TIE benenciai-acefvffi of the Dis
trict f6nasinentaily and heavily
taxed In the use Of land. tai, bur
deued an additional L.............-. so.sz
ms country. AZ, large. primarily
creator of al District land values 1se<
Here 10 shown only szss7.o Of tax.
alton resting squarely on law-created
prfvdlesss.s the special privilege In land
n6uopoly, and special monopoly privi.
lege In franchisss occupying In one form
or another tho public streets. The first
class Is without legal limit in its power
oEtaxingi the public for the use of land.
Ails the second class. electric light, tele-
phone. gas, street railway. etc. are
strictly. limited, controlled and super
vised, IN their charges and could all well
taxes on gross receipts.
I'M the second category come classes OF
property. utilities and business all Of
which. sre of general benefit to the
community, none Of which possesses
monopoly advantages. and the taxation of
each and all adds. to the cost Of doing
business and to the cost Of living. Each
Of these latter taxes IL detrtment to the
community. Taxes on improvements add
to the rental or purchase price Of houses;
water rents are, q direct charge on the
cost Of living: taxes on, personality in
stocks OF goods are multiplied In the
prices charged the retail purchasers.
Taxes on personally In. private houses
are vexatious. unsound. and never fairly
laid; The honest pay. the dishonest evade.
Taxes on the gross business Of sanlss
md trust companies are charges on the
cooperative credits Of the community
and are transferred to borrowers in
added rates OF Interest and commissions.
License taxes are also passed along to
the ultimate consumer and they all load
down and vex the administrative Offices.
Three millions of taxation In round
figures resting lightly on special privi-
leges, worth at a fair estimate $5oo0. 900
annually, four millions directly derived
from human activities and necessities al
ready taxed 200 a year by unearned
privilege, and. adding that much to the
overburden. Is it any wonder that the
cost OF living mounts: that this Is . city
Of renters: that business staggers? The
load Is fastened principally to the mules
legs. Why not. place It on his back?
Aa EsaitabIe Plan Of Taxation.
Taxable land in the District may be |
broadly divided into two categories of
approximately equal value
business areas. residential areas,
worth over 81 per square foot,
and special holdings worth
over $50 per front foot ire
spectiye of depth. totaling. $50 oo0. 900 |
Residential and other areas. $50 ooo. 900
i propose tax rate OF $50 in
the hundred on the full true
value Of the first classihca-
uon- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. %,ISuUUO
a e rate on the second. 100000
A 81 rate on improvements with
5000 exemption on dwell
inEs, estimated j.....-. 1,2Jo. 900
cent on gross earninss......... $4,000
Liquor licenses ............-. 15p 900 |,
Total. ......................s ss.sm. 900
I propose an increase Of 80 per cent .
IN liquor licenses by adding q special :
lax to the value Of location. The busi- Il
hess can stand it. At present 1t costs
more In the District to buy water than 4
10 sell liquor.
Here Is ample revenue for the require Il
nents Of the District, without a dollar ID
iemanded from the Federal Treasury, Ia
md with an immense relief to the tax r
,urdened people of the District. nine
enths Of whom would pay less taxes Il
han at present. Ia
The partial shifting of the burden Of Il
axation from improvements. personality q
md licenses. is only a first step along I
he well established economic lineNof as
Iessing benefits on the thing benefited. q
I is done in the District. inadequately q
md unscientifcally in water main and "
ewer extensions, In sidewalks curbing 8
nd paving and In street extensions. In
Slifornia irrigation districts generality
ssess the cost Of irrigation plants on
and values In Minnesota swamp drain In
re costs are assessed on the lands bene-
tied. Why not carry the same just prin- La
iple to its legitimate conclusion in the q
)istrict? In Western Canadian cities 1,
II improvements and personality are ex- n
mpt from taxation Land values are the
main source Of revenue. Vancouver, un- lu
er the single tax rate Of $50. raises 8,
soooo revenue on HIo.000ooo land valua- a
lon. Under the single tax, Vancouver e
and values increased from 900 in Il
NO to $146.ooo.ooo in 1s15-s3 per cent
houeh population increased only from I,
1000 to 1os.O00-lI.4 per cent.
nvisihle Government of washfnrtou q,
At a notable conference in the home r
Z Mrs. Caroline B. Alexander. in II
ioooheH' " D.. January 20, 1913, |
Wilson met q number e
Z prominent social workers. one of L
,hom was DIR. A. J. McKelway, of e
d. c.. secretary for the n
outhern States of the National Child
a Dor Committee. In his brief ad-
ress to the President-elect DR.. Nc
,elway said: is
The system of government Of the q
tstrict of Columbia Is controlled by
len with connections in speculative q
eal estate, a triangle Of power and v
rofit manned by a triumvirate.
"Of this triumvirate one Is presi-
ent' of national bank. with con-
ections IN speculative real estate. p
he second is president of a trust
,mpany. with connections in specula- 8
We real estate. The third is also u
resident of a trust company with u
'nnections in speculative real estate.
The situation 10 controlled in three II
ays: by control Of assessment. which Ia
lowest in the privileged districts
I'd highest in the home district; by
'ntrol Of credits: investments within e
le speculative area are encouraged, te
lose in other districts discouraged;
: control of Congress through the h'
'mmittees Of the District. in seeing Ct
lat improvements ordered NV Con- | u