The Washington times., 1923-07-05

financial year in history has just
passed, Major Daniel j. Donovan
District Auditor, reported to Com.
missioner James F. Oyster today
in his annual financial report. He
outlined the reasons for the recent
tax decrease from $1.30 to $1.2O
High Lights in Report.
High lights in the report are:
The fiscal year ended with a sur
plus of revenue amounting to ST.
91O.S447S--a remarkable showing
compared with the $4,000 surplus
the previous year.
All estimates of tax collections
were found to be .wrong-actual re-
ceipts showed collections hundreds
OF thousands of dollars in excess
0f amount expected.
i Six hundred thousand dollars
toward the $4,000, 900 surplus re-
uuired of the District has been
raised. Another $600.O00 will be
raised this year.
Major Donovan assails theqslaw
which requires District government
to pay a per cent ground rent
on all Federal property it uses and
points out that revenue derived
from use Of this rented ground is
not sufficient even to pay the 8
per cent, much less net the District
q profit to which it is entitled.
Auditor Donovan criticizes recent
legislation requiring the District to
raise $4,000, 900 surplus. He says it
is an unjust and unnecessary
burden on taxpayers" and asks for
use of the $4,000, 900 surplus which
the District already has in the
United States Treasury. In 1927,
Auditor Donovan says, the cash sur
plus will be $7,5O0,00, a sum far in
excess of cash needs for the Dis
trict.
z Major Donovan reports that the
s'fiscal year 1923 was remarkable
for most significant changes in
municipal fiscal administration and
exceptionally large increases in cur
rent revenue collections" He de-
clares that in proportion to the
several levies more taxes were paid
within that year than in any
previous year" Increased col
lections, Major Donovan says, can
probably be accounted for by the
new legislation which provides for
semi-annual payment of taxes.
Real Estate Levy $500, 613.
The real estate tax levy for 1922
was $S,607,613 and the taxes re-
naming unpaid of that levy at the
close Of the year amounted to ST.
1913. 535; while the levy for 1923 was
$9,401 $50, nearly $500, 900 greater
than 1922, with but $1,148,528 un-
paid at the close of the year.
The intangible personal tax levy
for 1922 was $1,007,249, of which
there remained uncollected at the
end of the year $91 ,679; while the
levy for 1923 was 81 1925, 1895, an in
crease of more than $4,000 over
1922, yet the unpaid balance at the
close OF the year amounted to only
$lO1,952, Notwithstanding the fact
the rate was raised by Congress be-
ginning with that year, from three
tenths to five-tenths of / per cent.
Major Donovan says the large
surplus was due in a large part
also to the unusually large collec-
tions In practically all of the sixty.
five items in miscellaneous revenue.
increases were:
lnCTSA
$125,094 over 1922; proceeds from
sales of byproducts from garbag e
and sales of miscellaneous trash
produced 1929 sos more than in 1922
and the tax on motor vehicles in.
creased $84, sol more than in 1922.
The report shows that the total
charge for all purposes against Dis.
trict revenue for 1923 was $l4,79O..
SS3.79, while the amount raised r.
pay off these charges was $l6.1Ol
1914, leaving a surplus of $3.50.
S44.35.
The surplus Is carried forward and
was used as an element in fixing the
tax rate for the present fiscal year
Revenue Collections.
Revenue collections for the wear
were as follows:
Real estate taxes, $9,473, s11.34. an
increase of $40, 678.31 over the audi
tors estimates of July /, 1922. and
81 ,O42, 631.11 over collections in 1922
Tangible personal property taxes
$1.213.728.13, an increase over the
auditors estimate of sos, 728.l3. and
q decrease as compared with 1872.
of $15S, 1854.
Taxes on gross receipts Of earn
ings of public utilities, banks, build
ing associations, etc, $1,565, s74.97
an increase of SOS ,874.97 over the
auditors estimates, and $26S,313.7
over the similar collections in 1922
49, lCOntinued on Page 2sl