Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
DISTRICT OFFICIALS
PUSH LICENSE BILL
Revision of 27-Year-0Id Law
on Business Taxes Sought
at This Session.

at this session the bill introduced in
the House last week by Representative
Gibson of Vermont, to revise and mod
ernie Washington's 27-year-old license
tax law. The bill was written by a
special committee of District and Fed
eral Government officials after a care
full and thorough study of the existing
e law which it branded as Anticipated, in
adequate and fraught with inequalities
Though designed primarily to remove
these alleged inadequacies and in
equities in the existing law which has
undergone only a few minor modifica-
tions since its enactment in 1902, the
new legislation will afford greater pro-
lection to the public by giving the
Commissioners and the Police Depart
ment increased authority to regulate
and control those businesses that have
long escaped close municipal super
vision. 1t also will add about $4,000
year to the revenues of the Dis riot, al
though the committee did not frame
IT as revenue-producing measure.
Special provisions have been written
into the new bill TO give the Commits
Sioners and the police control and regu-
lation of professional guides, private
detectives solicitors and dealers in dan
gerouS weapons. Other provisions pro-
vide for closer supervision over public
baths, employment agencies, bowling
alleys and pool ard biliiard parlors.
Drastic Provision Aimed at Mediums.
The most drastic provision, however,
is aimed at mediums, clairvoyantS,
soothsayerS, fortune tellers, palmlsts
and phrenologiSts, whose license fee
would be raised from $25 to $3.50 year.
A two-year residence in the District
also would be a prerequisite for
license.
The provision for licensing of pro-
fessional guides gives the superinten-
dent of police the authority to approve
or oisar prove applications for licenses,
and emp yerS the Commissioners TO
make reasonable regulations for the
government and conduct of persons
licensed, including the power to re-
quire the guides to wear badge.
Aside from licensing solicitors, the
bill would require them to pay an an
nual fee of SIS and post bond of $500
with the District government. AS de-
fined In the bill, solicitor is person
who sells or takes orders for goods,
wares, merchandise or any articles of
value for future delivery, manufacturing
or repairing any article or thing for
future delivery and requiring or accept
ing deposit for future delivery or
service.
Dealers in deadly weapons now are
issued a perpetual license, but under
the new bill they would be required to
have the license renewed annually at
a cost of $50. No license would be is
sued without the approval of the Major
and Superintendent of Police. The
Commissioners also would be authorized
to promulgate regulations for the con-
duct of such dealers, including the pow
er to require record to be kept of all
sales of deadly or dangerous weapons.
The license fee proposed for private
detectives or detective agencies is 500
a year. The superintendent of police,
likewise, would be given authority to
control the issuance Of these licenses.
Employment Tax Boosted.
The bill would raise the license fee
for employment agencies from $25 to
500 year and require bond of 81 900,
with two or more sufficient sureties. 1t
also stipulates where such agencies
shall be located, and StipulateS that a
register shall be kept of the names and
addresses of all applicants for employ
ment and other data.
The committee that framed the new
law was composed of Ringgold Hart,
principal assistant corporation counsel
OF the District; Wade H. Coombs, super
intendent of licenses, and D. P. Evans
OF the United States Bureau of Eff
cheney.
When the committee undertook its
study of the existing law, with view to
determining what notifications should
be made, only cursory examination
was necessary to disclose that 1t was
hlled with inequalities and inadequacies
as tax measure. Certain businesses
and callings, it found, were required to
be licensed and pay a fee or tax, while
a license was not required of other bust
nesSes and callings Of a similar nature.
For instance, cigar dealers are required
TO pay a license tax of $12 year, while
no license Is required of dealers in any
other form of tobacco, provided such
dealers do not sell cigars. Furthermore
the tax of Sl2 is imposed without re-
gard to volume of business, the dealer
operating small grocery store carrying
a lew cigars as side line being taxed
the same as large wholesale or retail
dealer in cigars. Again, florists are re-
CURED to pay a license tax of SIS a
year, but no license is levied upon a
dealer IN Jewelry in the next door
establishment.
The present act would tax claim
agents" and building and all other
contractors" $25 a year. but the Dis
trict Court of Appeals has decided that
the term claim agent" was too indefi-
mite Tor enforcement and that land
otner contractors" was too indefinite to
cover contractors generally.
Cost to Determine Fee.
AS a result of its study the committee
determined that any amendatory license
law recommended should list only those
businesses which require inspection or
regulation by some municipal agency.
ana that any fee required should be
commensurate with the cost to the
District OF such inspection or regulation.
II was found necessary, however, to
make certain exceptions to these prin-
cipies Tor the following purpose:
Ito license certain businesses for
regulatory purposes where the cost of
inspection was negligible. In these in
stances nominal fee of S. year was
recommended
10 charge certain businesses using
pubic space, such as taxicab companies
operating from hack stands, for the use
OF such space. In these instances the
committee exercised its best Judgment
IN determining appropriate taxes to be
charged.
80 restrict, if possible, in the pub
TIC interest, the number of persons who
might engage in certain callings. This
restriction the committee attempted to
accomplish by means of a tax which
would not be prohibitive.
1t is estimated that under the pro-
posed bill total Of 1856 licenses NAV
pe expected, with receipts amounting to
Szf0,O00 annually. Under the present
law, total OF 1853 licenses were is
sued during the 1928 fiscal year, the re-
ceipts amounting to $l60,994, exclusive
Of traiaSfas. fnoc :. :