Evening star., 1927-12-05
ID. c. TO SEEK TAX
AID IN CONGRESS
Result of Survey Showing
High Burden Will Be
Presented.

A great volume OF data showing by
indisputable figures the high tax bur
den borne by residents of Washington
as compared with cities of similar size
will be made available for the consider
alton of Congress next Monday even
ing. when the completed report on the
national tax survey conducted by Off
cials of the Board of Trade is present
ed to the December meeting of the
organization in the Willard Hotel.
The survey made by the board in
cluded 80 of the larger cities Of the
country. An earlier report on the
general results of this investigation
showed from comparison of official
records that Washington stood second
in the list for per capita tax rate.
At the meeting Monday a full re.
port of detailed figures and other com
parative data will be made public. il
is announced, showing the peculiar
position held by Washington because
of the location of the Federal Govern.
ment here, which serves to enhance
the costs of the upbuilding and main.
tenance of the municipal government
Adjustment Is Sought.
All these data are to be complied in
the near future for a report to the
committees of Congress dealing with
the National Capital in conjunction
with the plea of Washington for
more equitable adjustment of the
fiscal relations and for the establish
ment of fixed apportionment of the
expenses of the Capital between the
local and Federal Governments.
The data to be presented to the
Board of Trade Monday, it is said,
will include figures showing the tre-
mendous increase in the local budget
and a comparison Of the costs Of the
maintenance of Washington with
similar figures for other cities with
which the actual tax rate Of Washing.
ton is often compared. In this connec-
ton, it is emphasized by officials of
the board, 1t is highly unfair to the
District to make a simple comparison
of the rate alone rather than a COM
parison of the tax burden as deter
mined by an adjustment Of the tax
rate and the rate of assessment, and
other important considerations which
tend to increase the tax burden here.
The report on the survey also will
show a comparison Of the cost Of
specific items of governmental serv-
vice here and in other comparable
cities and the percentage of govern.
costs here which are to be at
tributed directly to the Federal Gov
ernment, such as the cost to Washing.
ton Of the maintenance Of st. Eliza
beths Hospital. which is held to be
distinctly a Federal agency, and the
cost of furnishing water and water
mains for departments of the Fed
eral Government.
Senator Capper Of Kansas. chair
man Of the Senate District commit
tee, has been announced as honor
guest and principal speaker at this
meeting. Lending additional signifi-
canoe to the meeting, invitations also
have been extended to all members
of the House and Senate District COM
mittees and to the members Of the
subcommittee Of the House and Sem
ate appropriations committees.
Careful Scrutiny Made.
The tax survey of the Board of
Trade, made for the purpose of gath
ering actual statistics showing the
position Of Washington I'm tax mat
ters. was conducted by officials of
the board under the direction of its
committee on municipal finance. OF
which Joshua Evans, jr., an official
of a Washington banking institution.
Is chairman.
Unusual significance Is attached to
this fact.finding study in the light
Of the Endorsement of the methods
employed in the survey and its gen.
eral results which recently was given
by members of the Detroit Bureau OF
Government Research, an Independent
body of municipal finance experts of
international reputation.
During a two.day conference with
officials of the bureau in Detroit, the
survey was subjected to a careful
scrutiny and at it's conclusion was
given the approval Of the bureau.
Further, members of the bureau
found, the Federal Government is not
now bearing it's proper share of the
cost Of the upbuilding and mainte.
nance Of the National Capital, due to
the temporary plan Of Congress of
making annually lump-sum appro-
priation of 100000 toward the ex-
penses Of Washington. Such lump
appropriation, the study by the Board
Of Trade shows. amounts to but ap.
proximately Is per cent of the budget
for the current fiscal year.