Evening star., 1926-11-13
FISCAL MEASURES
STUD|EDAT HEARING
Head Tax Opposed, Higher
Auto Levy and Annual Real
Estate Payment Advocated.

Strong opposition to a head tax
II Washington was registered, the
imperative need for more help Tor
the assessors Office, deSirabil1ty OF
isform in the office of Recorder OF
Deeds where the registration is 10
months in arrears. cenSure OF ehe
necessity for each real estate pur-
chaser having to pay tribute 10
title guarantee company and neaVler
auto license fees were advocated at
the hearing yesterday before the
Gibson subcommittee OF the House
District committee investigating the
lnuuiciDal Government.
Assessor Richards was admonished
hy Chairman Gibson and Represent
ative Houston that he should ask for
all the help he needs and that the
committee will stand back Of him to
make the District assessors once
here the most efficient in the country.
Both Mr.. Gibson and Mr.. Houston
let Il be known that they are serious
~ considering the possibility OF a per
r9pita, tax so as to bring all residents
here into paying their share toward
support of the Government. Assessor
Richards opposed this tax, saying that
all the people are paying taxes IN one
<urm or another.
Asks Copy of Report.
The subcommittee requested Her
i.art d. RroWn chief of the Bureau
,f Efficiency, to supply them with
.auy OF a report he has prepared at
ne request OF Chairman Madden OF
he House appropriations con1mlttee
md chairman Zihlman of the House
District committee upon the work OF
The offices of recorder of deeds and
.ecorder Of wills. This survey was
made to facilitate the carrying out OF
,he new law, which abolisheS the Zee
system in these offices and makes
,hem go to the Budget Bureau with
estimates for support of their actlvl-
les and to Congress with tustlf1ca-
ION of the appropriations sought, the
anne as other agences Of the Govern
nent. 1t is understood that the Bu-
raau Of Efficiency has recommended
some very important changes In tne
administration of these offices. The
subcommittee was told that one rea-
son the real estate purchasers nave
10 go to the title guarantee com
panies Is because this on1ce IS 10
months behindhand In recording
deeds and it takes an expert to trace
down the records
C. NJ. Towers, the tax collector, ad'
XOCated a single payment OIL ldAeS
annually instead Of semi-annuaI IN.
@tallment payments. He explained
that this would save his office mucn
work in the preparation Of bills, and
that consequently the cost would De
Jess. He got little encouragement from
the subcommittee.
Would Raise Auto Fee.
Mr.. Towers also urged that g. prop
erty tax on automobiles shoulo pe
rsid AT the same time that licenses
are nIrchased. Both Mr.. Gibson ana
Mr. Houston, the only two members
of the subcommittee of seven VINO
are in washington, concurred IN TINS
s,,opestion and expressed their con-
,.irtJon that the registration zee
should he increased. Mr.. Houston ar
,~ued for increasing the reglstrailo.,il % =
foo and abolishing the autoiho,u,ie.e
rronertv tax, in an effort TO slinpliAS
The tax collection system. oo
Deltnouent taxes on June o.
amounted to Sc. 100000 in outstanding
.iaims against a half dozen OF tne
,orCest public utility companies op
erafinC here, Auditor Donovan toIo
,ha subcommittee in response 10 III
o,1ir,es. Most of this amount IS cur
rant taxes that are stragglng III allu
rha+ might really be called back taAss
,o+al something like 81 1,3OO,ooo; MOS
,,f This is claims against puonc SER.
10 cornorations, the legality OF willcIl
8. questioned and suits penang III
court. b;s of7ca col
,acted 5000. 900 in penalties last yeaI'
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