Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-15


in the trial.
1925 900 from reinsurance OF permits To
automobile drivers.
Mr.. BIanton then suddenly asked
Col. Bell: why don't YOU let the
street cars run up Sixteenth street
and answered 1t himself by another
question: Isn't il because you don
want them In the way? col. bell
acouiesced. Then Mr.. Bla nton went
into a lengthy and emphatic discus
sion OF his contention that bus lines
are allowed to run up and down SIX
teenth street and practically every
where else In the District If they
want to, without paying cent
| toward the upkeep of the streets
they are wearing out except the
measeIy 2-cent gasoline tax which we
all pay" lie demanded that the
, Public Utilities Commission exercise
authority they now have under the
law to make these busses pay main
tenance charge.
Matter Already Taken Up.
Col. Bell said that he had taken up
this matter several times win the
| Public Utilities Commission, that 1t
was customary to make bus lines pay
A very considerabl sum and that ne
had a mes sure prepared for Con
gress seeking authority In this direc-
| ton. Mr.. Blanton answered That
every Representative and Senator
with whom | have talked Is decidedly
| in favor of making these busses pay
| for the great privilege they have In
the streets here" hut that he didn I
believe any new legislation -
necessary.
Chairman Gibson stated that the
present Congress. before II adjourns.
ought to pass a traffic law that will
provide q suficient reglstra ton fee for
drivers permits and that the revenue
should be used for extending the cleo
trio signal lighting system and for
| street maintenance.
William r. Richards. who has been
| assessor for the District for 10 years.
| was the next witness, continuing his
testimony starred at previous hear
ing. He was closely questioned by
| Mr.. Gilbert as to what IL the basis
| for assessment OF real property
values, Mr.. Gilbert Contendins mat II
| is what the properly will bring. Mt.
Richards answered that II should ~
| an average for locality on what
willing purchas ser pays wllllnG seller
! The question of prices paid Tor echooi
sites. which are sometimes SeNera !
| times the assessed value. was then
discussed. Mr.. Gibson put into Inc
record table showing assessed van
! purchase prices and names OF persons
/ from whom purchased covering Nati'
| o,ls sites for school purposes pur-
cha ed for the fiscal years 1924. ls2o
/ and 1926.
! School Problems Explained.
Assessor Richards and Col. BELL dis-
cussed the troubles that the Distrlc'
has had i'm acquiring certain specinc
! school sites designated by Congress.
/ MIR Blanton complained that when
! the commissioners went 10 buy prop
! erty they. had found the price had
been run up through fictitious sale
/ and col Bell answered this by laying
| the blame at the door of congress
which publishes in appropriation biIis
! the locations to he acquired. so tnat
| anv one who Is able TO read knows
/ in advance what properties the Com'
! missioners are authorized TO purCha sc.
! He advocated giving lump sum APP
! prOpriation ana allowing the DISTRICT
! officials option between number OF
! sites.
Mr.. Gibson then questioned the as
: SCISSOR whether assessments on real
estate are not too low. and called al
! tention to recommends tion by Com
! missioner Rudolph. when he was he
| fore the subcommittee. that land
i should he assessed annually. Assessor
| Richards stated that he had advoCat
/ this for more than 1b years. hut that
! he cannot make an annual assessment
with his present force. Additional help
n
wear. He estimated that the returns
| to the city as a result Of annual AS
/ sessments would he many times the
! increased cost.
This was one OF three recommends
tons he makes. The others are that
new property values. as result OF
building operations. should be added
every six months and that when deeds
are recorded they should he accom-
ma MED by letter to the assessor Civ
| ing the true considera ton In sworr
statement.
Asked About Employees.
Mr.. Blanton then questioned the
! a assessor regarding the employees ol
his ONCE and salaries they receive. He
brought out that there are about 115.'
600 parcels Of real estate in the Dis
trict to he assessed and which are as
| sessed every two years. with additions
of new buildings every year.
| Mr.. Blsnton then read the Law
which covered ira nsfer of records
from the assessors office to the col
lector's office. but which records were
later moved back to the assessors Of
fice Mr.. Richards denied that HI
knew anything about this and sait
that he knew nothing OF II until thu
order was issued by the Commission
| ers.
| Mr.. Houston empha sized that 1t i,
impossible to make assessments on &
sale except on an average. saying that
this applies not only in the District Of
| Columbia but elsewhere in the United
states.
| MIR. Bla then brought up tho
rumor that had come to the committee
lega riding records of the Rudolph 4
West Co, having been changed some
is wears ago after FIRE. Mr.. Gibson
said that this informs ton was laid
before the committee by one of tho