Evening star., 1926-06-11
DISTRICT OFFICIALS
ACCUSED OF VIOLATING
CRIMINAL CODE SPIRIT
Continued from Fourth Page)

NSoilAiiuCu lIOIil Jul III oSCt
program. Testimony has been present
ed tending to show that the present
school board lis under the control of
one man connected up through tinan-
cial, business and social relations with
"A small coterie of citizens who appear
to be In strategic positions in control of
the government affairs of the District.
1t appears from the testimony before
us that when members of the school
board are not willing to go along with
a policy dictated by the controlling
power, ways are found to remove or
control their activities. The only pur-
pose of the schools of the District
should be to educate the children. The
schools should not be made the me-
dunn of politics, or used to encourage
a desire for personal or financial gain.
Lack Of time has prevented more
than superficial study Of the school
problem. We are satisfied it should
be thoroughly surveyed.
The controller generals office is
making a study of complaints in re-
gard to the erection of school build
ingS. The report was not ready in
time for use to permit us to go
into the subject. 1t will be availa able
in short time. however, and is eX
pected to fully cover that phase of
activity. Until the survey of the
controller generals office is avail
able we cannot report on this i'm
portant subject.
The subcommittee looked into the
subject of taxes and taxation far
enough to establish the following
facts.
Taxation.
Notices of assessment on real
estate are not given. Notice by ad-
vertisement in newspapers is given
when taxes are due. If real estate
taxes are not paid when due such
real estate is advertised for sale and
sold. but no personal notice is given
to the owner thereof. The parcels
are advertised in a book published
as provided by law, at an expense
Of several thousand dollars each year.
In 1925 about 10000 pieces of real
estate were sold for taxes and pur-
chased principally by four concerns
engaged in the business of purchas-
ing at tax sales. In order to re-
deem, the owner must pay the eX-
pense of the sale and interest at the
rate of l per cent per month.
"An annual return of personal
piopCAtS 10 ASAoAA NNs AiO NoIiAiAiAN-
tee Is Of the opinion that that re-
turn should also include the real
estate owned by the taxpayer. Then
the assessors office and the collec-
tors office would have n proper list
of all the property owned by any
one person liable to taxation. The
law should provide for a personal
statement of taxes to the taxpayer
when the taxes are due, any also
personal notice of tax sale. The
cost of these notices would not be
greater than the cost of the book
advertising the various parcels. In
order for a taxpayer to ascertain
definitely if his or her property is
advertised for sale he must purchase
or secure the book advertising the
same, which in 1926 sold for $14.o0
per copy. A real injustice results to
hundreds of taxpayers. Real estate
titles become involved and eXpen
sive litigation naturally follows.
Urge Annual Assessment.
Assessments upon real estate are
made every two years and improve
ments added annually. The assessor
and the chairman of the Board of
Commissioners recommend an annual
assessment. The annual assessment
would cost the District $18,600 more
per annum, but would result in an
increase in taxes of at least $4,000
every second year. There is an actual
annual increase of $10,000,000 in land
values in the District. Applying the
present tax rate of $1.70. it will be
seen that the city loses in taxes S170,.
900 every second year. The following
cities, comparable in size with Wash
ington, have annual assessments:
Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Newark,
Pittsburgh. Providence and St. Louis
The subcommittee recommends
change in the law to effect annual
assessments and has introduced a bill
to cover this recommendation.
1T was called to our attention
through the testimony of the tax
collector for the District that motor.
lists are paying only nominal tax.
A car Of the class used by q ma iority
or the people of the District yields by
assessment as personal property about
$3.50 in annual taxes. The owner
also pays 81 per year for number.
plates and 81 per year for a permit
TO operate. This is only a small per.
centage Of what he should pay. Motor
vehicles wear out the streets and the
motorist should bear an equitable pro.
portion Of the expenditures made
necessary for his benefit. We recon-.
mend scientific method of lew bv
registration as made by some States
OF certain number Of cents for each
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