Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
DISTRICT GATHERS
TAX BURDEN DATA
Richards Gathers Figures on
Area and Land Values for
Senator Bingham.
Continued From First Page)

House group, DuI mas TeCelVeQ no re-
quests thus far, presumably because the
committee has not yet been organized
The members had left for their homes
in various parts of the country when
their appointments were announced.
Census Figures Available.
The bureau in 1928 compiled a
lengthy report on fiscal relations for
Congress. including tables on per
capita taxes in Washington and a
group of comparable cities. New popu-
iation figures are now available at the
Census Bureau and it is possible the
efficiency experts may make check
of the estimates of population used at
that time with the new 1880 census
figures to see whether the variations
would affect the results. Thomas F.
Murphy, assistant chief of the En-
cheney Bureau, said such check would
be a comparatively simple matter.
Meanwhile the Committee on Munich
pal Finance of the Washington Board
of Trade, headed by its chairman,
Joshua Evans, jr, will keep itself ready
to support the plea of the people of the
District for an equitable settlement of
District finances as it has done in the
past. This committee two years ago
made comprehensive tax surveys of 100
cities, gathering valuable comparative
figures.
Robert ]. Cottrell, secretary of the
Board of Trade, will attend the national
tax conference to be held in Kansas
City in october as one step in keeping
abreast with developments on the sub
ject Of taxation generally.
Bingham Requests Data.
The data which Senator Bingham
has asked the District Building to fur
nish him, would include the following:
The area and estimated value of
lands owned by the United States. ex-
cept streets, alleys, parks and any areas
occupied or held by the District Gov
eminent.
Lands, except streets, to which title
is in the United States and which is
occupied or held by any branch of the
District government.
to which the title is in the District of
Columbia and which Is occupied or
held by the District.
Property, except streets and alleys
to which the District has title, but
which is occupied or held by any
branch of the Federal Government.
Property owned by foreign govern
ments and exempt from taxation.
Land exempt from taxation, other
than that owned by the United States,
athe District and foreign governments.
The areas and value of land in the
park system, TO which title is in the
United States.
Lands in the park system to which
title is in the District government.
Developed subdivided taxed land
which has streets, water service, sewers
and lights.
Taxed parcel property and undevel-
oped Subdivided taxed land, which is
not supplied with water service, sewers
and street lights.
Seeks Proper Division of Expenses.
In requesting this information Sena-
tor Bingham said he Is endeavoring to
reach a basis for proper division of the
expenses of the District and that he
regarded this data as important in such
an effort.
During the many weeks that the cur
rent appropriation act remained in con-
ference at the last session, due to the
dispute over the Fedral contribution,
Senator Bingham. along with the other
conferees. had occasion to give a great
deal of thought to the factors enter
ing into the maintenance of Washing
ton because of its position as the Ma
tional Capital
OAJb bllC k1Olloc SpcCldI COIIlIIllLCee
begins Its inquiry, District officials will
not know definitely what proposed
changes in taxation here will be con-
Sidered. and at the present time, there
fore, they are merely taking the pre-
liminary step of having the assessor
obtain the latest available informa-
ton on various forms of taxation that
might be proposed in such an inquiry.
All that Is known at this time about
the possible scope OF the tax study is
the clause in the resolution creating the
committee. which reads as follows:
Such committee is also authorized
and empowered to investigate fully the
various forms of municipal taxation
and sources OF revenue of the District
OF Columbia and TO recommend to the
House such new forms of taxation and
sources of revenue and such changes
in existing forms of taxation and
sources of revenue as to them may
seem Just and fair"
This direction to make a tax survey
was in addition to the authority con-
ferred on the committee in a previous
paragraph to make recommendations
as to the amount the Federal Govern
ment should contribute annually toward
District expenses.
Records Show Tax Volume.
Records in the assessors Office show
the heavy volume of taxes that have
been paid by the people of the District
in recent years, under the full-value
assessment, as compared with previous
years. These figures show that for the
nine years from 1923, when the full
value basis began, to 1881. the real eS-
tate tax amounted to an aggregate of
$4,000 900. or about the same as was
paid in 40 years previous to 1923.
The assessors figures also show that
from 1918, when the intangible tax
began, to 1913 this tax has amounted
to total of 500, 1000 900, whereas for 80
years previous less than $40, 100000 was
collected in personal tax.
Among the agencies which have made
studies of the Districts tax system in
recent years was the Institute for Gov
eminent Research of the Brookings IN
stitution. In a volume on the govern
ment and administration of the Dis
trict Of Columbia the institute included
a chapter on taxation here, prepared by
DR.. Thomas Walker Page of the Insti-
tute of Economies. This treatise dis
cussed various possible changes in the
plan OF taxation, but 1t Is too early to
tell what particular proposals on taxa
ton will be advanced in the forthcom-
ing congressional study of the subject.
When the current appropriation act
was in deadlock between the House and
Senate at the last session President
Hoover indicated an interest in the
problem. and it is understood that dur
ing his recent conference with the Dis
trict heads at his Summer camp on the
Rapidan some attention was given to
the subject of District finances, as well
as to legislative program for the Dis
trict at the coming session.
COL. ABBOTT, WAR FLYER,