The Washington times., 1920-07-13
MALICE NOTES
JAR ASSESSOR
Anonymous Letters About Tax
Dodglng Are Source OF Annoy.
ance to w. P. Richards.

Anonymous communications. re-
ceivsd by william y. Richards, As-
SCISSOR for the District OF COLUMBIA
stating that his office js not assessing
all that II should. or that some per
sons are dodging their tax on lntan
gible property, are causing hiin
great deal OF trouble. At this tiine
OF the year. when the Assessor 10
levying taxes, many persons either
through patriotism or malice sehu
him letters saying that they Know
of a certain person who 10 NOT psyihs
his taxes. The communicapt does not
give the name OF the supposed tax
dodger and does not give his own
The unfairness OF sending a com
munication not signed. goes without
saying" Mr.. Richards said today
but when the Informant also isls
to give the name OF the delinquent
IL is nothing short OF foolishness 10
waste a two-cent stamp ip writins 70
me. would only be too glad 10
lrear from any citizen who. having
the good OF the city at heart wouio
send me the name OF the tax dooser.
NOTHING TO FEAR
There is nothing to fear on the
part of anyone who informs the as
SCISSOR of a delinquent. Even II they
do not sign their own name, II they
do give us the name of the tax dodger'
they will be performing service TO
the city. But IL they should senu
their own name as evidence OF sooo
faith, this office will hold 1t In the
strictest confidence.
although the tax on personal prop
erty is levied by a board or assess
ors," said Assessor Richards. "and al
though an inspection is regularly
hxy
their assistant inspectors. yet II can
be said that more than rs per cent OF
the tax Is based on the return OF the
| individual corporation. executor
trustee, etc, having possession OF inc
property.
There are many persons who are
assessed who make no return, ana
| in fact 1T has been complained that
! the assessors have at times thrown
| out a drag net with a seeming desire
| to assess every individual in the Dis
trict of Columbia. Such an unusual
activity on the part of the personal
tax division is due of course to the
difficulties in administering any per-
sonal tax law. as II is the desire OF
the office to have as fair and equal
lied an assessment as the nature OF
the case will allow.
This is the month of returns OF
both tangible and intangible personal
property. These returns should be
made before or on August ana
should be sworn to before notary
public, and delivered to the assessor
within the time designated. Many
persons are calling at the District
building and getting the advantage or
the knowledge OF the personal tax
employees in showing them how to MI
in the return. The personal tax as
SCISSORS and the clerks of the board
are giving every assistance possible.
The personal tax. which also in
cludes q tax on the gross earnings OF
banks. trust companies, and public
service corporations, has swelled into
a very respectable amount in the last
| fifteen years. In 1902 little or no tax
was paid on personal property, while
now the total tax amounts to
| $500, 900.
THE thoroughness with which re-
turns and assessments are made is
| indicated by the amount OF the in
| tangible property assessment. which
is over $500, 100000 and although at
the rate of $40 of / per cent, pro-
duces a revenue Of nearly a million
dollars. 1t is this last assessment
that is the most difficult to adjust.
as the tangible personal property as
sessment, as we'll as the revenues
| from public utilities. are easily OBJ
| tanned, and therefore as far as the
law goes readily equalized.
ALL MUST MAKE RETURN.
| personal Property law requires
that every citizen, association. cor
| poration, firm, or company, in the
District of Columbia. shall make a
return under affidavit, on a schedule
! furnished by the assessor, and to b..
filed during July, or on or before the
first day of August each year. As the
first of August of this year falls on
Sunday, the last day of returns will
be on Monday. August ..
| Failure to make return subjects
the owner to a penalty of 20 per cent,
which is added to the fair cash value
of both classes of personal property.
The rate Of taxation upon all intangi
BILE personal property is $40 of I
per cent; that Is, 80 cents on 81 90 val
uation, or $500 on $1,000 valuation.
The rate of taxation on all tangible
personal property will be S1.95 for
| this year. per hundred, based on the
| roir cauh volne NJ the prOpertv."