Evening star., 1922-05-01
FEDERAL WORKERS
JOIN IN PROTESTING
AGAINST TAXPLAN
5000 Bureau of Engraving
and Printing Employees
Fight Increase.
STORM is INCREASING
AS ALL FORCES UNITE
Strong Complaint Made by Real
Estate Board and Citi-
zens' Conference.

zens' Conference.
Organized forces of business and
are fighting the increased taxation
plan proposed by the conferees on
the District appropriation bill were
considerably strengthened today
when the joint conference board of
the bureau of engraving and printing
lined up with the protestants and re-
quested a hearing on the matter. at
which the District Commissioners
would appear.
Meantime, the special committee of
the Washington Real Estate Board
appointed to study the tax sys-
tenn adopted resolutions protesting
Congress and the municipal author
tiles that the proposed taxation
change would work severe hardship
on the District. They also requested
hearing and invited citizens asso-
Citations representatives to meet to-
Attention of Congress also was
called to the opposition to the plan in
a resolution sent to the Capitol to-
day by Charles A. Baker, president Of
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions. This resolution was adopted
representatives of civic and trade
bodies yesterday afternoon in the
stadium Of Central High School.
5000 Employees Represented
Representing about 5000 employees
in the twenty-three various trades at
the bureau of engraving and print
inc fba IAofolo tive committee of I'll a
joint conference board today pre-
sented to the District Commissioners.
and forwarded to Congress-. a request
that an attempt be made to obtain a
hearing before the conferees of the
House and Senate on the proposed
change in fiscal relations before the
report is submitted to the floors of
The petition embodied protest
against the insertion in the confer
ence report Of the new provision to
increase assessment valuation on real
estate from two-thirds of it's value to
its full value and presented the fol-
lowing reasons for such q protest:
Reasons fer Protest.
TT seems to us that the bills that
passed the House and Senate, do not
require a change in assessment valua-
tion.
I'VE were wondering whether the
District appropriation conference
committee has the power to add new
legislation and whether it would not
be subject to a point OF order.
'"The Commissioners of the District
Of Columbia should. at least be given
an opportunity to be heard on the
merits of the proposed legislation,
In many and. indeed. q great ma
jority of cases .he employees of the
bureau of engraving and printing
have selected their places of resi-
dence with regard to reasonableness
Of rent and corresponding decrease
matter Of the cost OF living, and any
increase Of fexpenses to them in taxes
Is q matter of great Importance, espe-
cially in view of the prevailing rates
Of their compensation. OF the $500
employed. fully one-half are low-sal-
aried, and by these even a slight in
crease Of expenses is seriously felt.
Would Increase Burden.
referring to the vast numbers Of
government employees and others of
moderate means who have purchased
homes within the past few years,
many Of them making sacrifices in
their effort to complete payment on
deferred mortgages. their burden
would not only be increased by the
contemplated boost in real estate
tax would have a direct effect on
them. as holders Of mortgages would
more than likely transfer this raise
in Intangible tax to an increased
rate Of interest charge to the prop
erty owner.
with a shortage OF houses and
apartments still existing to a .marked
high point, it would seem part:cu-
larly unfortunate that any legislation
should be passed at this time that
would give a setback to the efforts
that are being made to solve the
housing shortage by both the national
government and the state authorities.
Such legislation means higher rents,
higher rates Of interest on mortgage
loans, and may mean the loss Of
homes to men of a moderate salary
who may be buying on the monthly
payment plan and whose salary will
not stand any additional burden"
The petition was submitted by Ed
W. '
the board. and Miss Mary Campbell,
secretary, who waited on the Com
missioners this morning.
District fiscal experts are at work
today figuring up in dollars and cents
exactly what the new legislation
would mean to the pocketbooks OF
the District. 1t Is expected that COM
plications will be presented to the
District Commissioners for their in
formation and guidance within the
next few days. "
One statistics shark here today dug
up the assessment rate Of the state
of Minnesota, whence halls Repre-
sentative Davis, chairman of lthe
House conferees. 1t was shown that
by law in his state the taxes were
levied on a 40 per cent property as
sessment.
Realty Board Protests.
Resolutions notifying President Har-
ding and congressional and municipal
officials that the proposed tax in
creases in the District Of Columbia
would work severe hardship on
Washington and urging Congress to
give the citizens ample time to be
heard relative to the recommends
tions OF the conferees on the District
appropriation bill were adopted
unanimously today at q meeting Of
the special committee Of the Wash
ington Real Estate Board appointed
to consider the tax question:.
At the same time letters were sent