Evening star., 1928-03-28
Continued on Third PageN

people OF the nation rather tnan tht
| taxpayers Of the District Of Columbia
Note also that the Government /,
acquiring real estate In Washington al
rapid rate and that II has recently
taken of the tax rolls some Of the moSt
valuable tracts Of land in the District
No taxes are paid on the Union Station
Plaza the Mall or on parks The pres
cnt building program OF the United
States, which has been approved by
Congress, viii take from the rolls add.
tional property having a value of Al
least S25000.0o0 and will reduce local
tax returns accordingly. II is alto
gether proper that the Government
should secure such properties and own
them in perpetuitv. am not COM
planning about that am merely ad-
vanCinR il aS an additional reason why
II We are to carry out the broad plan
of improvement and Identification oi
the Nations Capital we should be will
Ing to stand a proper share Of the
expense.
Intangible Rate Unreasonable.
When We consider the local tax on
personal property no room is left for
doubt The rate Of five-tenths of | per
cent on the fun value OF intsneibles is
clearly unreasonable and above any
rate eNacted elsewhere in this country.
SO far as have been able to learn. Not
only that but to large extent. the
tax is actually collected. Personal
property assessments for the District
during The fiscal year ended June 40.
1927, totaled 623Sl6 900, which pro-
duced revenue amounting To $500 1874.
This is five times as much as was
assessed in Minneapolis with its popula-
tion OF 4+2 600. twice as much as Gin
cinnati and almost four times as much
as Cleveland with a population Of
100000 people
"A 5-mhl rate on intangible per-
Sonal property means that in Wash
inRto a person with an income Of $500
a year on a trust fund OF $4,000 in
vested in bonds or securities. would be
obliged 10 pay $50 out OF the meagar
$500, Observe that the tax OF mills
Is not upon the income, but is upon
the market value OF the principal in
reStment, and that ii must be paid
whether or not the holder derives any
income whatever from the securities in
question. l want Senators 10 bear this
IN mind when they are told that the
District is undertaxed
So much for the argument that
Washington does not paw taxes COM
parable TO those in other sections OF the
country. She does That fact has been
clearly demonstrated time and again,
the most recent occasion being before
the House subcommittee on appropria-
tionS, at hearings TO which reference
has already been made II is evident
that District residents pay well for what
they receive. and IN addition. they are
Shouldering to an undue extent the
burden oi building up the Nations
Capital for the benefit of all the people
Of the United States
II may be popular with the folks
back home to demonstrate how heavy
tax burden Washington residents are
forced 10 pay. so as 10 prove that the
District burden exceeds the taxes in the
State 1t may be good politics. but it
Is poor craftsmanship. The people OF
any community should pay adequately
for what they receive In public bene-
fits, and they should pay no more, ir-
respective Of the taxes levied in any
other part Of the country Members of
Congress may talk about the many ad-
vantageS possessed by the people OF the
District that are not enjoyed bv their
constituents. ! have listed a few that
Washington does not have as she
shouid-homely items such as adequate
bridges and needed sewers Is there
any large CITY in your home State where
grade school children throughout the
entire municipality can only attend
sessions half a day because OF lack OF
sufficient buildings? Hoy many cities
with q population OF more than 100000
Inhabitants house many Of their school
children in portable frame buildings
with outside wash rooms? Irrespective
Of the rate Of taxation. wish TO state
that my home city OF Denver has more
adequate school accommodations than
Washington. the Capital Of the Nation
We have better library facilities and
better cared for streets We will not
have 70 walt for FIVE years In order u
obtain sufficient schools for our chill
dren nor win We have 10 beseech Con
gress each year for that purpose We
have those schools nov / do not hesi-
tate to tell the people Of Denver the
facts about the District Of Columbia
and they do not begrudge a Federal
contribution 70 help provide similar ad-
vantages for the residents OF Washing
ton. who are. after all. but the employees
Of the United States"
Cites Unfair Practices.
In citing instances Of nov the Fed
erai Government is not dealing fairly
with local taxpayers, Senator Phipps
continued
"Firsg. there Is the appropriation for
expenditures under the Jurisdiction Of
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission The Law specifically pro-
vides that on account Of this admittedly
national project the United States shall
pay It's definite proportion Of total eX-
Denditure Yet annual allotment Of
funds for this purpose is included in the
District appropriation bill which IL
written on a lump sum basis rather
than that of proportionate contribution
There is 10 suggestion on the part oi
those no would include such items In
nc District bill that the lump sum be
increased accordingly 50 as 10 meet the
intent Of the Law creating the commits
sion. Either the pToportion8te system
should be restored OF else all of these
semi ma tional projects should be ez-
clgded from the District appropriation
bill
The Senator from Colorado then re-
called that IN the Interior Depa rtmenl
appropriation bill for the next fiscal
year Congress msde the customary al
lotn1cHts fer FTeedmen's Hospital but
fof the FIRST tlme stipulated that 81
per cent of the cost of new building
fof this national institution shall b.