The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-05-31
The Senate Does the Square
Thing for Washington
BY BILL PRICE.

BY BILL PRICE.
The Senate did the square thing for this National Capital
and the people Of Washington the District appropriation
bill passed by it, The big IF in the problem whether the
ccnferees of that body viii stand firmly by what has been
done win permit the House conferees have their way
q they have done in the past five six years when the
local appropriation bill in conference.
The Senate by good majority has put it to the House
IS to whether the 6O40 law which five years.
or lump Contribution Of $14O00OOO shall be written
into the District BILL Evidently the Senate proposes that one
Or the other shall in though is foregone conclusion
That there will be attempt the part Of the House
ferees to do some barrng for lower figure than
The Cramton amendment proposed lump Of 100000
unfair and inadequate The Senate has gone this
sum 100000 BETTER because that body has always held to
the view that Washington the Nations Capital and that
the nation itself should do generous part in meeting the
annual needs Of its highly priced central establishment
The 64O law should be and adhered TO-
It Is definite and fixed proportion to be paid by the Fed
er Government toward the upkeep Of its Capital The lump
sum idea bodies good for the future Of Washington and
the District taxpayers It represents equitable basis
the financial relations that between the Federal
and District Governments Neither the 100000 proposition
the $1OO00O0 result from actual investigation Of the
property interests and the wider national interest Of the Gov
ernent in the territory absolutely controlled by it. There
has been no other commission into this
question IN exhaustive to teSh out just what
tax rate for the citizens Of Washington to bear
The is approximately 40 per cent Of District
appropriations for the next fiscal year and it is finally
agreed to win do injustice the growth and continued
Identification Of this Federal City But the adoption Of the
determine the be Contributed the local bill
the lodging song will be sung by statesmen Of all
degrees inspired and led by the House element that forcing
the issue for low lump sum.
The 6OO law was arrived at after much patient invee
ton OF tax rates in all cities Of the country every phase
Of the nations deep in it's Capital That law does
represent actual investigation judcous determination Of
the equities Of the situation Unless the lump apprOp
individual ideas Of Senators and congressman
the bottom Of this attempt to revOluonize the fiscal
relations Of the two feeling Congress
a ia
too low Yet Congress partly responsible for the unusually
low rate in the fiscal year It refused appropriate
previous year That left large surplus Of cash to be
carried to this fiscal year. greatly lowering the rate
congress mad not cut down appropriations that cash bal
ance would not have existed and the tax would been
higher
With much larger total Of appropriations for the next
fiscal year the increased pay of teachers policemen and
firemen, the tax rate will be considerably higher
Careful comparisons Of the in this city with the
rates in other American cities should be made however be-
fore there is guess work legislation in Congress The
facts be easily obtained by Congress The relations be-
tween the Federal and District here are so
phcated so unlike the municipal affairs any other American
city that comparisons hard to make The people Of this
city are subjected to many special and taxes
that do not prevail in other cities These all be taken
into consideration study Of the flat rates that are in
force all over the country
AS example take the Borand law In few if any cities
Of the United States property owners taxed the
cost Of resuacng streets that have damaged by public
travel In this city too thousands Of owned by the
united states Government are partly responsible for wear
and tear on streets The Engineer Commissioner Of the Dis
tc recently called public attention this marked Injustice
to property owners here
Another for comparatively low tax rate in Wash
Ington that bonded debt virtually wiped out It will
be extinct in few months We do not have to nav
from our tax collections huge Of money for interest on
municipal bonds.
These just two elements hundred or more that make
impossible for Congressional shouers about low tax rate
TO know what they talking about They have not studied
the intricate details involved They are Just jumping at
illusions Why don't they insist getting all the facts
before they make vicious attacks?