Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-23
SIMMONS DEFENDS
LUMP SUM FOR D. C.
Chairman of Subcommittee
Also Believes School Prog
reSS Is Maintained.
Continued From First Page.)

members of this House none of which
were acceptable to those citizens OF
Washington who in season and out
constantly demand more and more from
the Federal Treasury. The report from
the bureau was asked for in the hope
that, as an independent study, 1t might
bring this constant complaint against
the Congress to an end. The report
has been made. The report accepts as
its basis the premises heretofore outlined
by District citizens as the proper ones
on which to reach decision-and from
that basis the report in its determine
ton Of facts fully supports the position
heretofore taken and maintained by the
House of Representatives.
Taxpayer Liability of U. S.
1.-THE report determines first that the
liability Of the Federal Government,
were it a taxpayer. would in the fiscal
year 1928 have been S7,440, 939. 1t then
states that after deducting this tax
liability from the 100000 lump sum
contribution, $l,559061 was left to be
applied against the Federal Govern
ment's liability on account of the loss
of revenue and on account of extraordi-
nary expenditures occaSioned by the
fact that Washington is the National
Capital In that statement the report
grants to the District everything that
the most enthusiastic opponents of the
100000 lump sum plan have de-
manded. 1t gives no credit to the Gov
eminent of the United States for the
use of buildings and land owned by the
United States. normal rental of which
would be $150,000. 1t gives no credit to
the United States for property given to
the District last year amounting to
$27,35614. It gives no credit to the
United States for the services Of 10
Army officers in municipal capacities at
salaries amounting to $42137. 1t gives
no credit to the United States for the
services rendered to the District by
such Federal agencies as the Bureau of
the Budget, the Bureau of Efficiency,
the Bureau Of Standards, the Bureau
of Public Roads, and the many services
in one capacity and another rendered
the District by the Federal Government
that are too numerous to detail and I'M
possible to eStimate-all, however, being
services not rendered to any other
American city by the United States and
services given to the municipal govern
ment without charge.
Last, but by no means least, the re-
port does not even suggest that the
United States should be given either
credit or consideration for the mainte-
nance here of the largest business in
the world-the Government of the
United StateS-the maintenance of an
army of employees here at an ever-in-
creasing pay roll of approximately
$4,000, 900 a year, that is not affected
either by flood or drought, or by famine
does not reach it. Washington, due TO
the location here of the seat of Gov
eminent, is the only city in America
that is assured of permanent growing
prosperity.
No Credit TO u. S.
"The report suggests no credit to the
United States for the multiplied mil
lions spent here in buildings, grounds
and Shrines or those that hereafter
will be spent. Likewise, the report sug-
gests that the United States be charged
with taxes on its property here every
dollar of it-completely ignoring the
fact that no city in America save
Washington has the temerity to ask
that the Government of the United
States contribute to its revenues in Ecu
of taxes.
1.-The report holds that we should
pay in excess of a tax comparable to
IL LllcLl SUS-
geStS another and an indefinite obli-
CATION to pay other moneys to the Dis
trict, but it gives no credit to your Gov
this city receives from the Federal Gov
eminent. that no other city receives.
THE report refers to liability on
account of the loss of revenue oc-
casioned by the fact that Washington
is the National Capital and likewise
refers to extraordinary expenditures
occasioned by the same fact.
What revenues have been lost by the
fact that Washington is the seat of Gov
eminent? None can be established.
There are those who imagine that were
this not the Nations Capital that fac
tories and other activities would come
Probably So-but, at best, a rather I'M
satisfactory basis upon which to predi-
cate a charge of loss of revenue
Loss of Revenue" Charge.
"The charge is that there is a loss of
revenue here by the fact that Wash
1ngton is the National Capital and that
therefore there is a liability on the
part of the United States to contribute
TO the District on account of that loss.
The loss, of course, cannot be proven. {"
Mr.. Simmons cited WaShington's
growth and declared:
so it is clear that Washington is
not only being retarded by the presence
here of the Nations Capital, but the
city is rapidly gaining in population and
is going ahead of industrial cities be-
cause OF the fact that Washington lis
the National Capital"
Mr.. Simmons quoted Assessor Rich
tot
tons future growth and increasing
property values are assured.
THE observations have been made
not so much with the thought of find
ing fault with the bureau report as
they have been made with the idea of
demonstrating that the report. to say
the least, Is not unfriendly to the Dis
trict and most certainly is not biased
In favor Of the United States
Two Conclusions From Report.
ut is not my purpose here to go into
detailed analysis Of the tables in the
report. They are printed and available
as House document sos. Two con-
illusions are readily drawn from the re-
port:
First that the United States is not
only fully meeting and paying every
obllgatlon that could possibly come to
it, were it taxpayer, but in addition is
contributing over and above all that a
considerable and generous sum and
more than meeting its obligations
toward the Capital city.
Second. That the City of Wash
ington is not only not overtaxed, but
in fact is undertaxed in comparison
with other cities. That the low take!
here have not resulted in an under.
nourished city, but that. on the con.
trary, Washington, when compared with
other cities. is developing in all it!
city activities without undue curtail
ment of funds.
The position of the House on fiSca
relations and the contribution made BY
the United States to the District O
Columbia is fully supported by this re-
port. I commend study of the repor
4 to those members of the House WhC
4,ntn TOD 10 lie Of nit