Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-10
Framing a New Organic Act.

p -" "oS 10
under its operations the Washing
tonian was grossly undertaxed; that
his tax burden was only one-half that
of the resident of the average Ameri-
can city; and from this belief sprang
the demand that the half-and-half
law should be repealed in order to
do equity by imposing practically the
whole burden of capital upbuilding
upon the local community, and by re-
lieving the nation correspondingly OF
an unfair financial exaction. The
vital alleged fact in which this belief
and this prejudice were rooted was
that the realty valuation of Wash
ington in 1872 was $7+,OOO,OO0 and
that this realty was consequently in
that year and today underassessed
Tor taxation by several hundred mil
lion dollars.
The Senate denied these conten-
tions and the issues thus raised were
referred to the joint fiscal committee
for determination.
The joint committee finds on all
the vital issues of fact in favor of
Washington. 1t sustains as fair and
reasonable the RECEIPT assessment of
Washington realty which discloses
nearly two hundred millions less OF
realty values than were alleged to
exist in 1912 by Mr.. H. ]. Browne in
the so-oalled George report. 1t finds
not only that the Washingtonian is
not und~erassesscd, but that as COM
pared with the resident OF compare
Bile American cities he is not under
taxed; that his per capita of prop
erty taxes, about $40, is a reason
able tax-burden, no more than which
should be exacted; that while the
Washingtonian is contributing all he
equitably should toward capital up
building, more instead of less should
be done by the nation, in response not
only to the impulse of equity. but of
enlarged patriotic pride in the ma
TONS city.
Does any n believe that more
than an inhnitesimal fraction of the
1856 representatives who in the last
House were misled as to the con-
trolling facts would have voted as
they did if they had known the
truth as disclosed by the joint COM
mittee's report and the sustaining
evidence? The joint committee hnds
in effect that the half-and-half pro-
vision IS absolutely fair to the ma
ton. Why should those who voted
against IT because they thought it un-
lair continue to oppose it after its
fairness has been demonstrated?
The JOINT committee IN nnaIng that
An arbitrary naIt-and-half provision
is no longer 'neeoed to compel the
equitable TelationS between nation
ano capital which, it thinks, should
exist vigorously approves the princi-
pies OF rnat leglsiatlon. 1t EdS been
contcnued mat the national contriDu-
ton oward capital upDuliolng snould
BIZ nIuen, little or nothing, according
a9 tne spirit moved at eacn recurring
session. Inc JOINT mint says
concerning the inuennite, nuctuaung
contribution proposition: Our unanl-
nous conclusion Is = that the
Congress snouid pursue a deiInIle pot.
icy OF regular II liperai appropria-
tions."
In response TO the contention that
the local contribution should be sub
ject to Suduen increases, nuctuating
and uncertain, the JOINT committee
says: Our unanimous conclusion is
that the rate OF taxation in the Dis
trict should be fixed and CERTAIN;
that there should be no greater cx-
action from the people OF the District
OF Columbia than "a tax comparable
IN assessment, rate and amount to
that paid by the residents of other
sites similar in population and loca-
ton 10 the city OF Washington; and
that the annual property tax IN
Washington at this time, approx
mately $40 per capita, meets these
conditions and in the Judgment OF
your committee t = e is a reason
able tax levy"
The problem OF the trainers OF leg
islation based upon the Joint commit
D. tees report is to provide in substltu-
tiou for the half-and-half system a
definite policy OF regular and lib.
erai appropriations" for capital up
building by Congress and a fixed and
certain" taxation for the local COM
munity which shall not exceed that
paid by the residents OF other COM
parable cities and which shall not
materially increase the present prop
erty tax-burden which after careful
investigation is declared to be "rea-
sonable."
The legislation which proposes to
abolish the half-and-half provision,
after it has been authoritatively de.
clarcd to be fair, will, Of course, be
carefully scrutinized to see if it pro.
yides a substitute which puts in con.
crete and workable shape the wise
and equitable principles governing
the relation of nation and capital
which are unanimously declared BY
the joint committee.