Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-17

I
Go, ernmeEt III paying the costs of sup
porting the National Capital. as voicce
by delegation from the Washington
Board Of Trade before the District sub.
committee OF the House appropria ton:
committee. were made public today
when the District appropriation bill fol
the fiscal year 1929 was reported TO tn;
House.
At the same time the transcript oi
the debate between Chairman Simmons
and other members of the subcommittee
with DR.. George c. Havenner and a
delegation representing the Citizens
The lump-sum appropriation WIS made
available. DR.. Havenner urged that a
definite proportion of Federal contri.
button should be restored as provided
in substantive law. and that this should
be about thu same proportion that the
lump sum of SO, 600 600 bore to the total
District budget in 1925. when the lump
sum plan was adopted as a legislative
rider on the appropriation bill or 80
per cent.
Present Census Figures.
Others in tn Citizens Advisory
Council! delegation we're Edwin S. Hege
Kenneth P. Armstrong and DR.. George
H. Richardson.
Those in the Board of Trade dele
CATION were Edwin c. Graham presi-
dent: Joshua Evans, jr chairman of
the municipal finance committee:
Robert j. Cottrell. executive secretary,
and Thomas Walker Page, Institute of
Economics
! Preliminary TO hearing the Board of
Trade group. Chairman Simmons of the
District subcommittee put into the rec
/ ord OF the hearings several sets of
! tables taken from the United States
census reports, showing in general GER
tain financial statistics of cities having
population Of over 10000 and in par
ticular certain financial statistics COW
ering the II cities in the United States
/ having a population of 100000 or more
/ The Board of Trade representatives
contended that the tax rate here in
/ Washington is burdensome and pre-
sented charts and statistics In support
of this claim. They cited 4.400 cases of
comparison between assessments and
! sales since 1921 to show assessments are
higher here than in other comparable
cities.
! Under the present lump-sum scheme,
! they emphasized. the Capital City, as a
municipality. is being maintained at a
! standstill, as 80 per cent of the District
! budget is for maintenance. and il this
! policy is continued 1t will stunt the de-
/ velopment of the Capital. they insisted.
/ They presented a detailed statement
, Of necessary Improvements totaling
/ $50 DOC, 600, and submitted supple
mental list of desirable improvements
totaling s29000o00 This was in an
attempt to show the Improvements that
other cities have and that the District
cannot afford under the present plan.
and which are, therefore backed up
under the iump-Sum arrangement. be-
cause TO secure them would mean
buroensome tax rate.
The Board of Trade stands for as
Stunning 2 fair share of the burden of
every obligation" said Mr. Graham. Il
think we realize In the District of CO.
lumbia that We should pay fair rate
Of taxation. We have never advocated
a lower rate than the average rate of
taxation throughout the country. We
appreciate too that We cannot assume
the obligations OF a budget common
surate with the requirements Of the
! National Capital along the lines that
such obligations are met in ordinary
cities BY means OF local TAXATION We
must arrive at IL in some other way"
Reviews Fiscal Report.
/ Mr.. Graham reviewed the report on
! fiscal relations made during the Sixty
fourth Congress. quoted President Cool
Z idgc's message to the Sixty-ninth Con-
gress urging the Nation to make the
/ embellishmen OF the Capital City its
great aim and to establish here soul
! city" He quoted also the District Com
missioners' report urging the restoration
Of the 60-40 basis of fiscal relations.
, In concluding his argument Mr.. Graham
said. In part.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
select committee Of Congress in Its re-
port held that the taxpayers of the
District OF Columbia were paying a
correct proportion for the upkeep and
development OF the Nations Capital
We find that the Federal Government
. since 1915 has oniv increased its share
but so per cent. whereas the taxpayers
ri the District OF Columbia have tn
creased theft share by $50 per cent
This policy has retarded the proper
growth and development OF the city OF
Washington. which belongs 10 the Ma
ton as whole, To the point that We
are informed By the Commissioners Of
the District Of Columbia that neces-
sary Improvements. which would re-
oii!re the expenditure OF approximately
$50. 600 900 for the next five years. can
not BE- undertaken under the present
fiscal arrangement without placing
upon the people OF the District a tax
burden that would be- ruinous.
These items. together With an addi-
/ tional list OF desirable items. which
would call for the expenditure Of
! roundIy. $40 900 600. will be- presented
! later in detail with supporting justin
cation.
Being aware of the tagging behind
in the proper development OF this city,
as indicated above. and realizing that
the tax burden mad already grown 70
"A pint where IL vas lmpairng the
economic strength Of the community
the Washington Board OF Trade took
the position that II facts could be pre-
sented " Congress demonstrating in an
unbia sed way that the taxpayers Of the
District were bearing a tax burden quite
great enough 10 justify Congress In
/ cres sing It's share that this Congress
would receive such a presentation with
an open mind and See that the Federal
Government oio not avoid us just re-
/ sE,onsibilities,
The Washington Board 81 Trade Is
/ not at all Ia sympathy With certain
, forms Of criticism which no" and then
are directed at Members Of Congress.
ON the other hand, said with
equal force that the responsibility rest
"a upon the citizens Of ths District ~
Columbia IN furnish Congress %ltn The
facts which would snow what treat
nent ~ the riiizrns II the District in
fart is luht and fair
Municipal Finances.
In discussing the comparisons nf
municipal flnancss fnshf by the Bohf0
Of TRADE after sn extensive question" "
nsi,e. MI Evans ssin
Before We 90 into the general sum q
, mary Of the figures themselves We
must bear IN MIND one ~ two par
tieljIsrly impressive facts that have
been discovered which relate ~ the