Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-18
Snh.rr;nt;on Rate nv Mail.
Wise and Fair Legislation.

In voting to adopt the Jones amend
ment with an additional provision
making the District tax rate flexible
the Senate subcommittee on District
appropriations approved wholesome,
just and vitality needed legislation for
which the District has long been
pleading.
The Jones amendment, If enacted,
will make the law conform to the pres
ent practice of financing the District.
1t will cause unexpended surpluses OF
District tax money to 60 automatically
into the class of District revenue,
available for appropriation as such In
succeeding years. 1t will reduce to \
minimum these so-called SURPRISES by
repeating the law of 1903. which ar
bitrarily limits the amount of District
estimates which the Commissioners
may submit.
In the provision of a flexible tax
rate the committee reverts to the sys-
tenn contemplated by the original act
of 1878, under which the steps OF pro-
cedure are, chronologically: N APP
proval by Congress of estimates; (2)
appropriation Of half Of approved es-
Inmates from the Treasury, and 60 col
lection of the other half-a specifically
ascertained amount-by tax levy on
District property. If the assessment is
made stable by Congress the tax rate
becomes merely the flexible percentage
figure which when applied to the as
sessment roll will produce tax revenue
equal in amount to the half previously
appropriated from the Treasury by
Congress.
The provisions Of the Jones amend
ment will apply to any deficits or sur
pluses in District tax revenue that
may happen Inadvertently or by in
tent, and cause them to Offset one
another.
In 1916 the Board Of Trade petit
toned Congress as follows:
1--WE, the members of the Washing
ton Board of Trade, do earnestly Pc
tition Congress ~ for the repeal Of
the law of 1909, which restricts the
COMMISSIONER estimates to twice the
amount of the Districts estimated
revenues; and (2) for legislation which
shall cause any surplus Of District
revenue arising in any year from the
enforcement Of the half-and-hal law
to be held in the Treasury 40 e trust
fund for the benefit of the District to
meet its needs in some future year.
1--WE protest against the repeal at this
time Of the half and half law, which
the joint congressional committee has
in effect declared to be fair; and We
especially protest against such repeal
by rider on an appropriation bill; or in
such form as to be retroactive; or by
any method which does not secure for
the proposed legislation thorough pre-
liminary consideration by the District
committees, and by Congress. and
which does not substitute for the re-
pealed law one establishing a definite
policy of regular and liberal appro-
priations by Congress for capital
maintenance and development and =
fixed and certain tax burden for the
District Of Columbia"
The Senate committee in its action
responds directly to this appeal for
affirmative legislation. 1t enacts into
law the present District financing prac-
tice; it repeats the law Of 1909 restrict
ing estimates, and it disposes equitably
of the troublesome problem of District
tax SURPRISES.
The hope and prayer Of the District
are that this wise and fair proposed
legislation may be adopted by the Sen
ate and may prevail through confer
ence to the point Of enactment.