Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-24

upon and q false conclusion IL in
evitable.
A Truer Tax-Measuring Yard Stick.
Discarding this false standard of
measuring relative tax burdens, let us
seek tax-measuring yard stick
which is approximately reliable. The
figures compiled by Statisticlah Starke
NJ. Grogan for 1920. utilizing the CEN
sus of that year - ascertain per
capitas, will be helpful.
Fer capitn tax levy companions fur
nish the only even approximately re-
Liable measurement of relative city
tax burdens.
AS we have done in 1916 and 1918 so
let US do in 1920 In the comparison In
tax burdens of a group of populous.
prosperous and progressive cities with
ne fa ditias ake aTst the nearest
mediate neighbors to the north. Bal
timore and Philadelphia Add to the
largest cities of Pennsylvania and
Maryland. on the Atlantic coast. Jer-
New Orleans. the largest city in
Louisiana and the south. and Atlanta.
the largest city of Georgia; add also
the largest middle west cities, like
those OF Illinois. Missouri. Ohio. Wis
consin. Minnesota. Kentucky-that IL,
Chicago. st. Louis. Cleveland. Milwau-
kee. Minneapolis and Louisville. and
Denver. the largest city Of COLORADO
among the Rocky mountain states
IL WnshinEton's tax burden, meas
ured by the most nignifcnnt Htnnd-
ards, averages creditably in COM
pariSon with these typical and wealthy
cities. is not the capital cquitabIy
taxedf tAll of the figures and COM
ments below are as Of the date OF
1920
Wnshington's Heavy Realty Tax.
In realty tax levy per capita five Of
the twelve cities exceed Washington
and seven are less. The cities in or
der Of their realty tax levy per capita
are: Minneapolis. 1901: Philadelphia.
29:S2; Baltimore. 21.12; Chicago. 90.
MilWaulee 2o;3s; washington. 1877:
~; louis, i':sS: JERSEY, City. 17:ss:
Orleans, 1873; Atlanta. 1897; Louis
Vile. 11."6. IL not Washington realty
tax sufficiently high when Il exceeds
per capita that of Cie> Gland. 81. Louis.
Denver. New Orleans, Atlanta and
LOuisvfIIef should 1t he Increased n
ALT
Personally Tax High Enough.
in personal property tax levy rour
cities exceed Washington and eight
nave smaller per capitaS. In the order
OF personal tax per capitas the cities
arrange themselves as follows: Cleve-
V tard So Nsw or noiir ITO; Den
tngton. S.O1I Milwaukee, 40; Chicago,
I.09; Louisville. Gas; Atlanta. 5,s3:
Baltimore. 5.45: Jersey City 3.5o: St
Louis, 3.44: Philadelphia, 1.53 L. NOT
WashinStOn's personal tax Nigh
enough when 1t exceeds per emit.
Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Milwaukee and other cities specified
should it's Intangible personality tnx
rate be increased 90 "a per cent?
tThfs increase OF 90 "a per cent in The
intangible Tux rates Is made by the
net OF June 20. 1921
Reasonable Total Tax Levy.
In total general and special prom
erty tax levy six cities exceeded
Washington and six cities had
smaller per capitas in the following
order: Minneapolis. 1885; PhiIadei-
phia, 3f.35: Cleveland. 2aSi: Chica 90
~ 10: milwaukee,. $3.50; Denver. 27.5l:
Washington, :..3S; Baltimore. 2..6S:
New Orleans. 26.4h; Jersey City. 1915:
st; Louis. 1891: Atlanta. 1890: Louis
vile, 1886. Omit Minneapolis and
Philadelphia at the top Of the list.
and Atlanta and Louisville at the bot
tom and note how closely the total
per capitaS approximate in the cities
that are compared: Cleveland. %
Chicago. 2S.1o: Milwaukee, 2S35 Den
Yer. 21.o1: Washington, ...3s; Balti-
more. 21.oS: New Orleans. 26.4s: Ter
sey City. 2J.1J: st. Louis. a3.91. 7.
not WnshinEton's total tax levy per
cnpttn sufficiently heavy when II ex
ceeds that of Baltimore. New Orieun..
Jeraey City and st. Louis:
The total tax levies that are near
est to Washington in amount are as