Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-18
No Second Buncoi

passed Dill Tor three ana One-ilaIl
cent gas tax which will become four
cent tax before final action by the
governor. This is an increase Of two
cents III the levy now imposed on mo-
florists of that State. Because OF
Marylands proximity TO the District
the passage of this bill has a direct
hearing on the more than one hundred
thousand motorists residing in the Ma
tional Capital. Already a member OF
Congress from Maryland has assured
his constituents that he will make
every effort to plaster on Washington
a similar tax and many Marylanders
living near the District have likewise
given their hearty support to such a
movement.
District motorists who feel that they
were buncoed in the imposition of the
original gas tax on the District will
doubtless prepare to repel at its in
ception any movement, no matter from
what source it comes, to increase by
one million dollars a year the cost OF
operating automobiles.
A brief history of the Washington
Maryland gas tax may serve to re-
fresh the memory Of Westinghouse
who might be inclined, as a result
of misleading words, to favor the
new proposal. Maryland for years had
demanded that District residents pur-
chase yearly Maryland tags. The Dis
trict in retaliation insisted that Mary
land residents buy District tags. Mary
land levied a two-cent gas tax on its
motorists, but found that there was
considerable leakage. of revenue be-
cause persons living near Washing
ton bought the cheaper gasoline here.
With magnanimous gestures Maryland
said in effect to the District:
1--WE will let you come into our
State without buying tags If you will
put in a two-cent gas tax. It will not
cost you any more to motor than 1t
does at present. You now pay approx
imately one million dollars year in
horsepower fee and personal property
tax The two-cent gas tax viii take
the place of both of these levieS and
will bring in the same amount or rev.
enue. Our delegation in Congress will
see to it that the bill lis put through
and everything will be lovely"
And so the deluded and overtrustful
citizens of Washington got behind the
bill sponsored by Maryland and the
bill was duly passed by Congress.
There was only one little hitch in the
entire proceeding. When the bill was
finally enacted Westinghouse found
that instead of substituting the gas
tax for the other taxes, Congress had,
with Maryland cheerfully asserting,
merely added the gas tax and Wash
ingtonians were paying two million
dollars a year instead of one million
dollars for the privilege of operating
their automobiles.
The present proposal is identical
with the original proposal, except that
the reciprocity provision does not en-
ter into it. Maryland is increasing her
gas tax by two cents. 1t naturally de-
sires that the District do likewise and
the same propaganda to bring this
about has already been started. Mary
land now says TO the District:
I'VE want you to put in this new
tax. 1t will not cost you any more to
motor than 1t does at present. You
now pay approximately two million
dollars a year in gas tax and personal
49, &c fxx,a nfNf fu "
will be substituted for your personal
property tax and will bring in the
same amount of revenue. Our delega
ton will see TO 1t that the bill is put
through and everything will be lovely
Once burned, twice shy. Washing
tonians know now through knowledge
gained by bitter experience that there
is no possibility of elimination Of the
personal property tax and substitution
Of a gas tax They know also thai
the net result of this proposal will sim
ply be that it will cost three million
dollars year to motor in the District
instead of the two million dollars. thu
present rate.
On American principles of taxation
the amount and kind of tax endured
are determined by the taxpayer
themselves. OF all the l20,0O0,000 o
Americans only the Americans of tn
District of Columbia have nothing t
say concerning the amount or kim
. OF taxes to be paid by them and con
! corning the purposes for which tn
tax money shall be spent.
Congress, which is intrusted by tn
Constitution with the power and dut
of interpreting and enacting into la,
the taxation wishes of the Capita
community. will naturally perform 1t
un.American task in as close al
Proclamation as possible to America
principles by alphabetically consi'
ering and giving controlling infiuenc
to the community's reasonable IA
wishes, so that the District WILL a
nearly as is possible, tax itself. If Con
gress instead of adopting this attitud
toward the District plays the role {
hostile, alien, despotic tax gathere
I contemtuously ignoring the wishes an
! u >. ;, .
welfare Of the local community in ia
exactions, the evil of un-Americanisl
at the heart of the republic will
shockingly intensified.
Maryland is great State wit
many bad roads TO be improved ar
many new roads to be constructe
Doubtless ii needs AGENT tax {
gasoline 10 complete its extensive pr
gram Of road Development Road-co