Evening star., 1928-02-19
Advantages of Capital Residence

In the report of the House appropria-
tions committee on the District appro-
priation bill in justification of the re-
tention of the lump sum principle the
appropriations committee. citing the
rate of taxation operative here. men,
tions the added advantages enjoyed
by the people of the District under the
privilege of residence in the Capital
City" These advantages are not
enumerated nor Is any indication given
of the bearing of them. such as they
may be. upon the question OF taxation.
The committee proceeds. however, to
speak of the large Federal building pro-
gram, involving nearly s92,000,000
which it says has its place in the
Identification and expansion of Wash
ington and the District of Columbia" 1t
proceeds to the conclusion that the
lump sum of $4,000 recommended
III the bill represents a fair and just
Federal contribution to the District OF
Columbia toward the expenses of the
city"
While the Governments building pro-
gram will unmiStakably add to the at
tractiveness of Washington from a To-
cal fiscal point of view, it has decided
disadvantages. Every square of ground
that is taken as site for a Federal
building is removed from the taxable
area, Congress has just authorized an
appropriation of $4,000, 900 for the
purchase of the now privately owned
property lying within the Mall-Avenue
triangle Which means that within a
few years s25 900 900 worth of property
will be taken out of the tax lists Inas-
much as the District Is confined within
inelastic boundaries, it follows that as
this process of Government ownership
and construction continues the tax bur
den falls more and more heavily upon
the areas remaining in private hands.
There can be no compensatory addi-
tions to the taxable area Of the District.
Thus it is plain that the public build
ing program cited by the appropria-
tions committee. inferentially as a rea-
SON for the reduction Of the. Govern
ment's contribution TO the District 4
maintenance. actually operates as a rea-
son for larger participation in the
cost Of conducting the Capital munich
pality. While the Governments share
of District maintenance has never been
viewed as in lieu of taxes, it Is assured
ly paradoxical that as the United States
takes more and more of the taxed lands
for its own uses it under the lump sum
plan pays relatively less and less in
District maintenance
The advantages which can be trans
muted into fiscal terms and are enjoyed
by the residents OF the District in enjoy
nent Of the privilege of living at the seat
O! Government are not stated There
are. To be sure. certain educational oppor-
tunities through proximity TO the Iegis-
lative. judicial and administrative fuac-
tions OF the Federal system There may be
some social advantages. though Of these
the grea. majority Of Washingtonians
are wholly unconscious. The fact that
this Is the seat Of Government imposes
upon the community the necessity OF
maintaining a high standard of munich
pal equipment and administration. The
city was planned by the Capital makers
on broad scale. inevitably involving
heavy expenses in development and up
keep. The schools must accommodate
the children OF Federal officials. the po-
lice and fire departments must protect
Federal properties. the whole munci-
pa! equipment must be maintained on
a sale 70 meet the Federal needs. The
advantages are with the United States
Government rather than with the mem
bcrs Of the community.