Evening star., 1927-11-17
ASSESSOR VALUES
DISTRICTS PARKS
Potomac Worth $50, 900. 900.
Says Richards-Rock
Creek Is Less.

Potomac Park and the Monument
Grounds are among the most valuable
park areas in the District, from real
estate assessment standpoint. but the
monuments that adorn the
Memorial~-are not worth / cent, ac-
cordng to Tax Assessor William i.
Richards, who made puhlicstoday addi.
tional Valuations he had placed on
FederaloW taX-exempt property in
The National Capital. Mr.. Richards
placed a valuation of 10000. 600 on
Potomac Park and $l2.000.oo0 on
the Washington Monument Grounds.
While the monuments which these
areas contain have great sentimental
value. the tax assessor considers them
worthless as real estate investment
and therefore failed to add any
thing TO land assessments. Moreover,
Mr.. Richards revealed that he had not
assessed the numerous other monu-
ments and memorials in the District
for the same rec son.
Beautiful Rock Creek Park was
valued by Mr.. Richards at $4,000, 900
while its companion, the ZOO Park,
was assessed at ) 600 600. Lafayette
Park. which is much smaller in size
than either Rock Creek or the Zoo
Park, however, was given Il valJHtion
uf $l0.Jo0 900, chiefly because of it,
location. The E,llipse south of the
White House is worth $ll 900 ,009. &C
corline to Mr. Richards. while tho
Smithsonian Institute and its grounds
he estimates has value of 5000 900
Naval Observatory Put at $1,000. .000.
Some of the other assessments
which Mr.. Richards revealed follow
Naval Observatory. 81 000.0 900: 20
tanic. Garden, s25o0.000 Judiciary
Square. $5.000,0 Dupont Circle
s.. 900 900: Boiling Field, $700,ooo; st
Elizabeth's Hospital and grounds
s. 900 600: Interior Department, $4,000,
600, and the Washington Navy Ya:C
between $1J 900 900 and $40, 900 900.
Simulta neously with the announce
ment by Mr.. Richards Of the addi
tional valuations, amplifying the
statement made by Commissioner
Taliaferro that the non-taXable Gov
ernmeut roperty in The District OF
Columbia is worth $4,000 900, ma.
chnery was set in motion al the Dis
irct Building for an energetic drive
at the forthcoming session of Con.
gress for restoration Of the fiscal rela.
tons between the District and Fedora
governments on Il G0-i0 basis
Commissioner Tallaferro, who has
administrative supervision over the
tax assessing and collecting depart
ments Of the municipal government
already has laid the foundation for
the campaign. and now his two col.
leagues, Commissioners Proctor l..
Dougherty and Col. William Il. Ladue,
are preparing 10 give their support
to any move he undertakes to bring
about IA more equitable division of the
expenses.
Procedure Not Disclosed.
Just what procedure will be followed
in launching the drive Commissioner
Iallafcrro was not prepared to say
today, but he indicated that the rec.
concentrations of the special commit
tee on taxation appointed by the Com
inssiOners in September to study the
question OF reforms in the tax sys
TEN, as well as the fiscal relations
probably would be followed in this re-
speCt. The committee is now at work
on its report, and according to Tax AS.
SCISSOR William i. Richards, it's sec.
retary. the final draft of the docu-
ment likely will le completed and sub
mitted 10 the Commissioners next
week.
Mr.. Taliaferro il was learned. had
not planned to rev@,:i the plans of
the Commissioners To make deter
mined fight for Il restoration of the
60 ~ principle Of financing the Dis
triCt government until the commit
tees report had been submitted and
approved. as information had been
given To him that this basis would he
advocated Tie Commissioner. how
ever. accepted an invitation To speak
before the Washington Real Estate
Board Tuesday night and he could
not think of a more appropriate and
propitious subject to discuss at this
gathering than the need for a return
Of the 6o40 basis OF appropriating for
the District. which he pointed out
stands in permanent substantive law,
despite the temporary 50 900 900 lump
sum Appropriation plan adopted by
Congress in 1922.
Hopes for support.
AS soon as the committees report
is received by the Commissioners. Mr.
TailafefrO intends to make a digest
OF the arguments advanced for a re-
vision OF the fiscal relations. which
will he broadcast to all civic, trade
and other interested organizations in
the District as we'll as among members
Of Congress, The Commissioners also
plan to make the plea for the 60-40
plan the keynote OF their annual re
port to Congress, which will he trans
mitted to the Capitol soon after the
new session cOnVenoS.
Commissioners ITALIA ferro is hopeful
that every organization in the District
will give the commissioners their sup
port in the campaign. He wants to
take the plea for il restoration OF the
60-40 plan to Congress AS represent
ing the united forces of the District
Tax Assessor Richards already has
compiled mass of data concerning
taxes and Federal owned, tax-eXempt
property which the Commissioners
plan to make considerable use of in
the drive. but other material is TO he
gathered before Congress convenes
This will concern chiefly the extra
burdens of taxation that are placed
on the taxpayers Of the District by
reason of the great development plans
now underway.