Evening star., 1928-04-16

go.e how closely together the read
stTted fax rates Of these large c$nes
ytIn, We have WaShington's readJusi-
cd tax rate lIs6e) exceeding tnat oi
Cincinnati (i357). Cleveland tl4S4l
and San Francisco ti5.771 pfacficalig
the same as that Of Detroit tle.s5l ana
less sognewaat than those Of 81. LOUIS
1i72s). Les Angeles fi7.7el. Indian
spoias 1882 and Minneapolis flsssSJ'
Our Tar Rate Should BE Low.
WagEstneton's equitable tax burden
Kfolio be among size lowest per capita
.n the country II Is conceded By the
reasonable that non industrial. nom
commercial Washington, with the
ANAL taxpayers In Government en-
pioy constituting the cit9'g nnanciaI
backbone. Is poorer 10 taxable resources
than the average American city Of lis
size and is less able 10 bear the same tax
puYcen 80 other city has 80 large a
percentage ot property exempt from
taxa.lOa a. the National Capital. with a
very large fraction of the clty's realty
held from the tax llSt By the United
states ane within that exempted fFae-
g8On tsaf catgs only great tnG1saFta4
plants and factories. The eZtraorni-
rary exemption Of taxable values makes
the same burden weigh the heavier
upon the taEpaying fraction of the
community No other city perhaps, has
~ large a percentage 81 non ia Kpa yiEg
usnsientk, VINO figure III the census but
not 10 the taz list. a. Washington.
Nhsch from stS very nature Sc the Ma
tons City IL comparatively unstable
&c shifting IN population. The ca&a-
bllasjeS, commercial, industrial and po-
sigieal. 8l48en attach 70 legal residence
So lae Aatl9f's CITY tend W cause thoSe
vino llts within as boundaries 70 secure
or retain legsl residence elsewhere and
20 4eep 81 the eltys tax liKt Thus the
non~taxpayaDe census p0D4iatlo which
reduces tas nominal pr capita tax lepy
without. ~ fact. mating cash eontFiBu~
tons, IS at q maximum. and the taE~
abie TehoQrces - 3 minimum with ste
gesE3i - serious c5&acY YaFtage ~ the
D3stricf In per capita compari@9n Bo%
fnfzeE geF capita ~ la2 levy could Plp =
EGelpi9ss. Isaltinaofe. heB Orleans. Lhi.
e8g0. CseVe3slo ~ MilBaUkee afford 10
pay = IS largest taxpayers. t8e owners
81 Us gD8ke Es.a manufacturing p3ants
we're omitted itom ti4e calculation u
tge half u the cl0aeiy vulit-4p section
~ the csty acre exempt from taxasion
s arc u ~ extraordinarily large percent
see u }ts population WeFe NaHklents ~
D9fa-taHpay y)pg for other fesaJilsY
Capitals Peculiar Disabilities
n is oofcfded ajso by sli reaa,naDia
people tl4at tHe tax burdens of ulsn3
American cities contain factors HBicn
FfEHe6ent conditions pot found mere
aHa that ia estimating fbe eg8ltable
fax DgFcfu ~ tfaf WashiERbenlsn tnt
Guns representing these factors ma
~ eliminated since Is government b.
{ Congress. under uetionsi safeguards
prevents graft anc renders unneees,
faFy sglo unfair any compulsory loea
18x eg1fF3D9i3ol " meet e&geISes gI
isli6 cfaFaetAE
OB Res4ersl pglHeiples tigs Washing
1gnis9s tax burden. sgethef figured ~
tsz fate ~ pef caplta tsE isYB sioulc
gsot INCLUDE payments fgf Sbst ie dSri
Tsst gsE hne what tbs tsKgsyefs Dl
ei8Aer sites DO get for example, ~
EaatG tax here since no state benefits
Il is generally conee6ee that the Wash
33efoHiaHa equitable per cap.1e laJ
Burden fia0Qio be less thar 'b8am eiti
zenE hi tie efsraae NsegAtJiai. s8eI