The Washington times., 1916-01-06
TAX REPORT FAVORS
PRESENT RATES HERE
Joint Committee Finds Assess
ment and Rate Are Not
Unfair.
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ne spent for no other purpose than for
the Districts expenses.
IT Is proposed that over and above
the amount OF District taxes collect
cd. the Federal Government shall pay
whatever sum may be needed by the
District and that the Federal appro-
as will not only continue the city of
Washington as a splendid AMI beau
tfful central residence Of this nation,
but also cause it to become and be
forever maintained as a model for all
the cities of the world"
Under this recommendation the Dis
tflcts contribution to it's upkeep
would be fixed by the amount of taxes
collected. and the Federal Govern
ment's contribution would be fixed by
the will of Congress. whether or not
the Federal Government contributes
SIS much or more than the sum raised
by the District.
The report throughout breathes a
spirit Of fair treatment for the District
or Columbia, and II Is especially signifi-
cant In that it refutes claims made re-
peatedly by opponents of the present
fiscal system that washington resi-
dents are under assessed The Joint
committee SAYS Washington residents
are. fairly assessed.
The report of the committee was sub
mitted both in the Senate and House.
Although Senator Works signed the re-
port he filed a supplemental document
celebrating upon his plan for turning
District revenues into the general re-
ceipts of the Treasury and have the
Federal Government assume full fnan-
cial responsibility for the National Capt.
tall.
Would Pay Debt.
The committee recommends that the
payment of the funded debt Of the Dis
trict shall be continued on the half and
half basis. but this is the only infer
ence in the report where the half and
half principle is rigidly upheld.
Strictly interpreted, granting that the
report is adopted by Congress, the con-
tributions of the Federal Government
may be on the basis of 40 to so per
cent or the Federal Government might
pay 50 per cent and the District 40 per
cent.
The full report Of the committee was
as follows:
Your committee appointed pursuant to
the act Of Congress approved March 8,
1915. which was in the language fol-
lowing:
That joint select committee shall
be appointed consisting of three Sena-
tors, to be named by the presiding Of
hcer Of the Senate, and three mem
bers of the House, to be nsmed by the
Speaker OF the House of Represents
tiNes, whose duty it shall be 10 pre-
pare and submit to Congress a state-
nent OF the proper proportion Of the
expenses sof the government of the Dis-
tflct OF Columbia. or any branch there's
of, including interest on the funded
he h,, easA
District and the United States, respec-
lively, together with the reasons upon
which their conclusions may be based"
beg leave to submit the following unani-
nous report.
The committee met OH March K, 1115
and organized by nlecting w. L. CE;l-
ton. senator from the State Of West
Virgins, as chairman. and Henry r
from the State of Illinois, as secre-
tary. and OF that dat, rece ssed 10 meet
at the call OF the chairman
Ihrsuart t" tie Gail OF the chairman
the committee met In the city OF Wash
inston on October ~, l''5. for the pir-
pose of obtaining all knowledge III it's
power TO crtain touchin. ene question
or of,vs the Fr9per ,pS pr"portion Of the cx-
trlct of Columbia. or any branch there
of: including interest on the funded
debt. which shall be horne hy said Dis
trict and the United states. respective
N. together with the reasons upcn
which their conclusions may be based"
! he committee was in open session
almost every day from October 20, 1915,
IN November IL. 1915. hearing the evil
dcnce and argument Of persons appear
ing voluntarily and le,sons appearing
upon the invitation and request OF tho
committee. and has since had such evil
dcrcn and arguments under its careful
consideration.
Several briefs were filed on behalf OF
various organizations and by individuals
and many communications from indi-
Niduals and ORGANIZATIONS were received
by the committee.
All Of this evidence and argument.
both oral and written. the committee ha q
ordered to be printcd in its hearings
and has carefully considered. believing
II TO he most important for the guidance
"f this and future Congresses Of the
United States that definite finding OF
facts be made upon the questions pre-
Sented for determination. and. there
fore. while the committee was very lib
oral in affordinC time and opportunity
for a thorough presentation OF facts.
circumstances. opinions. and views OF
those interested and competent to give
evidence. this was with the sole idea
"f establishing facts from which Just
,orclusions OF entire honesty. fair deal
ing. and justice could be drawn.
or the two questions submitted to
your committee. II first considered the
following. VIZ: What is the proper
proportion of 9 interest on the
funded debt which shall be borne by
Sald District and the United states. re-
spectively.' and now submits the follow =
ing statement with the reasons upon
which its conclusion is based
We md that the interest on the fund
ed debt should be paid by moneys from
the treasury OF the United States and
fifty per cent t5or,l charged to the revc-
MUGS Of the District of Columbia and
tifty per cent (50'c) charged to the
amount appropriated for the expenses
Of the District Of CuIumbia from the
moneys of the United States.
The funded debt" consists entirely
of 3.65 bonds $50 called because of the
rate OF interest they hcar) OF the nis-
trict Of Columbia amounting at this
date to s6. 2e5. .0oo.O0. and of which s975,-
lOS,Oo is paid yearly, onc-half by the
revenues of the District of Columbia
and onc-half by the moneys of the Uni
ted States.
The time of payment of this funde1 1
debt extends to the wear 1924, but with
an annual appropriation OF approxi-
matcly S9I5. 90, the debt will be fully
and completely paid 4 year or two
prior to 1924. and when paid. the Dis
trict of Columbia will have no other
funded debt.
This funded debt had it's origin in the
axfrnnr1in1rV eNneDditmreS for