The Washington times., 1927-10-07
Unjust Collection Of Tax
Assessments for Road Benefits
How Citizens of the District Wronged to the Point
of Virtual Property Confiscation.

This newspaper again brings the serious attention of
District Commissioners the Corporation Counsel the Citizens
Advisory Council the Federation of Citizens Association and
all other civic and trade bodies some OF the worst kind OF
njusces to District taxpayers in the matter OF the coec
ton Of assessments for benefits in road extensions i'm
provements that never made
It has already been pointed out in this newspaper that
the whole system of tax collections in the District lament
ably neded far concerns taxpayers who have been
unusty collected from obtaining prompt refunds they
entitled to.
Instances in which this has occurred and will doubtless
continue until citizens become aroused fair
treatment of taxpayers too to into detail
Because Of threatened suits against the Dis
rct unjust collection benefits that
have never accrued that type Of collection sufficient for
presentation.
concrete case is that Of William Hayes truck farmer
In the southeastern section Of the District
On July 90 1927 Mr. Hayes finished paying the last of five
equal instruments upon total of $S4843 for benefits
sssed against him for the extension and widening of South
ern Avenue"
The official tax bill stated that the Jury which Mr. Hayes
knew nothing about had assessed the $4s4S under
Congress approved March 4, 1918
The condemnation jury, April 1928 soemnly under
consideration the benefits damages Mr. Hayes pro-
posed extension and opening Of Southern Avenue which exists
official only following the southeastern boundary
of the District line The jury found that Mr. Hayes would
benefited II in the mentioned.
This District citizen made his first payment benefits
June H. 1928 Upon the payments since that time
ne has been charged cent annual interest His total
Interest charges have been approximately $50.
Southern Avenue is no Of today than it
when the benefits were assessed It may be improved
for many to In fact it is quite likely remain
. paper street for ten years to
MIN money that he might have needed certainly money that
he could have placed in bank obtained interest upon
instead of having to pay interest annual insalments
This is nothing short Of confiscaon of property What
happened to Mr. Hayes happened other property
all along Southern Avenue
This injustice to this taxpayer duplicated in another
assessment under the Borland law The Hayes farm fronts
on Livingston road is the last piece Of property before
the Maryland line is reached Livingston road main high
way from Maryland points along the Potomac acadam
lied some years All property along the road
essed for benefits The District have since decided
in two specific that property this type
able.
There will be no refund Of the paid in this
case and to other property along that
the courts did not pass upon these particular properties
though District officials admit that properties are within
the scope Of the decisions.
Instead Of District officials making redress they have taken
advantage OF the statute of limitations in the matter re-
funds and hold that they will give relief Property owners
unusty assessed and collected from 60 the
Tor relief, costly proceeding.
Justice and fairness call for District always
doing the right thing by taxpayers who have been improperly
even illegally, collected from.
All laws, rules regulations which the District
government to treat its citizens this way should repealed
modified.
Let the Of the District be as square to its
citizens as it desires its citizens to be to it.