Evening star., 1927-11-22
j. s. AID FOR D. c.
! URGED BY BUREAU
Head of Detroit Research
Body, in Letter to Critic, De-
fendS Readiustment Plea.

The District of Columbia has won a
new influential champion for its cause
for more equitable treatment in tax
alton matters at the hands Of Congress
in DR.. Lent D. Upson. director OF the
Detroit Bureau of Governmental ke-
search-an impartial and Independent
BODY of fact-finding eXpertS-Who mas
written a frank statement explaining
the views of Washingtons taxpayers
in it's plea for a fair readjustment or
the fiscal relations between the feu-
eral and local Governments.
In a letter to the Detroit News, re-
nlving to an editorial in that paper
questioning the purposes of Tax AS
SCISSOR Richards of Washington In
making an appraisal of the value OF
propertv owned here by the Feuerdl
Government, DIR. lrSOn eXpounds the
special conditions here which nave
nlaced on local AN ayers burdens not
found in other cftjNs, and pointing 10
the assessment of a fair share or tne
maintenance and uphulldlng or the Ma
tional Capital against the Federal GOV,
ernment.
presented to the Washington Board OF
Trade at its meeting last night, COM
ments on the fact that addltlonai gov
ernmental costs are placed on the cltl-
zans of Washington due to the 1act
that city development here Is on
much more costly basis than is true
in other cities because of the locatloh
of the Nations Capital in Washlhs'
ton.
For this season, DIR. Upson states,
the value Of government-owned prop
ertv in Washington-which is exempt
from taxation-does have its bearing
on the local tax problems. He calls
attention especially to the 1act that
Congress already, in substantive law
enacted for the District, accepted Az
rer cent Of the costs of the Natlonal
CAPITAL as it's fair share-although
since 1922 it has seen fit to set asloe
this substantive law and substitute
temporary plan of a $9,000,0O0 lump
sum appropriation.
Presented i'm Report.
The matter was presented to the
Board of Trade in a report by Joshua
Evans. jr., chairman of It's municlpal
finance committee, who, with otner
representatives of the board, last week
was in conference with members of
the Detroit Bureau on the local tax
problem.
DR.. Upson states IN ms leltef " 'no
Detroit paper:
"In a recent editorial you comment
on the appraisal Of Government.ownea
property located within the District OF
Columbia. as made by William +.
Richards. assessor for the District.
You query the purpose of this ap'
praisal, unless it is that Uncle
Sam should be subject TO Dlstrlct
taxes on his real estate, and speculate
on the value of private holdings shouio
the Government move out or WASH
ington lock, stock and barrel.
yesterday two citizens Of Wash
ington were in Detroit conferring as
to means by which the position of the
tax-paying property owners OF WASH
ington could best be placed before Con-
gress, and you may be interested In
the point of view of these citizens with
respect to the contributions OF the
Government and themselves toward
the upkeep of the city of Washington.
ITO be sure, the values of private
property in the District OF COLUMBIA
have been largely created because tnat
area is the seat of the National Gov
ernment Similarly, values in Gary,
Ind. were made by the 1ndustrles OIL
the United States Steel Co., and nearer
at home, those in Fordson largely by
the Rouge plant of the Ford Motor
Co. Undoubtedly property values OF
these communities, and even OF the
City of Detroit, would be decidedly af-
fected were industry to pull up stakes
and go. Yet industry in all OF these
communities is taxed for the support
of the community that it creates, and
the citizens of Washington feel that
by the same analogy the industry OF
National Government, which is the
principal activity OF washington.
should bear a substantial portion or
the cost Of the city in which 1t is
located.
Government Increases Expenses.
sThese citizens would point out that
no small part Of the expense or the
city is made necessary because OF gov
ernmental activities. An extensive
system of parks and thorofares must
be constructed and maintained; mag
nificent distances must be lighted and
policed; water must be furnished 10
government buildings and mains eX-
tended to wherever they may be To-
Gated; to which may be added fire pro-
lection, rubbish and ash disposal,
street cleaning, etc: These citizens
would inquire, should these costs be
borne alone by the private property
of Washington, largely residential and
business, since industry is practically
barred from the area?
'Now the Government estate there
is valued at $470,00O,000, to which
must be added an unprecedented
amount Of other tax-exempt property
in the nature of embassies, semi-public
buildings, churches, etc. The private
ly owned realty in the District is as
sessed at $1.150,0 100000. with an as
sumed ratio of assessed to true value
OF 96 per cent. Washingtonians point
out that no city in America has any
where approximately a similar per-
centage of exempt to non-exempt
property.
1.-The National Government has it.
self recognized the justice Of making
q substantial contribution to the cost
OF public services. About 1898, legis-
lation was enacted requiring Congress
to appropriate so per cent of the cost.
A few years ago this ratio was
changed to 40 per cent. Probably the
taxpayers of Washington would be
quite content If this law were carried
into effect. However, for the current
year Congress appropriated S9.000,0o0
toward a total District budget of about
S40,000,000, something less than 25 per
cent.
1.-THE tax rate Of the District is SIT
per 81 600 which the citizens of Wa Sh.