Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-17
ACTION ON BORLAND
LAW FACES DELAY
D. C. Heads Decision May
Not Be as Favorable as
Previously Expected.

Today was the day on which the Dis
trict Commissioners were expected to
decide what to do about assessments
under the Borland law, but the latest
word at the District Building is that
the decision will be held off a while
and that when it comes 1t will not be
as favorable to those assessed as had
been previously reported.
Last Tuesday Corporation Counsel
William w. Bride was reported as about
to recommend to the city heads that
owing to the repeated successful at
tacks on the law the Commissioners
cancel all assessments under the law
and repay to taxpayers all sums assessed
against and paid by them for three
years back. This was grounded on a
refusal of the Supreme Court of the
United States to review decision OF
the District Court of Appeals in which
assessments were Cancelled in two cases
There have been three other similar de-
cisions in the Court of Appeals.
Bride Unlikely to Report Today.
Today report had it that Mr.. Bride
would not submit any final recommen-
dalton to the city heads at their meet
ing this afternoon, but would discuss
with them the possibility of following
several courses. One of them is to wait
until a case, now pending in the Court
of Appeals and involving a rectangular
lot, is decided The other decisions
have been based on the fact that the
property assessed has been rural, OF
that the lots involved have been irregu-
larly shaped, with long frontageS, SC
that an assessment on the front-foot
basis, as called for by the law, is IN
equitable. Another was to continue the
assessments in all cases not specifically
adjudicated by the Court Of Appeals
and wait until Congress had met and
had an opportunity to repeal the law.
Mr.. Bride adhereS to his policy Of not
speaking for publication on the nature
of his recommendation until 1t has been
made to the Commissioners. He did say,
however, that his final report would
most likely not be ready today.
Meanwhile the officers of the District
government involved in levying and col
lecting the assessments were marking
time as to new collections while waiting
for definite orders from the Commits
sioners. Some 90 taxpayers came to the
District Building yesterday with checks
for Borland law assessments. Tax Col
lector Chatham M. Towers referred them
all to Tax Assessor William P. Rich
ards. Mr.. Richards held up the papers
in all cases, and said that he would
certify them later If necessary. In some
cases the payment of the tax is con-
dition precedent to raising loan on the
property involved or selling 1t. Those
property owners who must clear up
their tax payments for these purposes
are anxious for the decision to be made.
May Advise Delay Until 1881.
The case now pending in the Court
of Appeals, known as the Dodge case
could be settled by the first of next
year, it is estimated, and Mr. Bride may
counsel delay until that time before
any definite action Is taken on canceling
assessments wholesale.
AS for any action by Congress to re-
peal the law, not many at the District
Building look forward to this with much
hope. The Commissioners have been
asking Congress to do this internationally
since 1921, but without the slightest sue
cess. 1t is said that the Borland law is
popular on Capitol Hill, because it is
similar to legislation existing in the
home cities of many of the legislators,
where all of the lots are more or less
rectangular and regular and there are
no abnormal conditions, such as caused
by Washington's system of diagonal ave-
nues and circles.
The meeting Of the Board of Com
misisoners at which the discussion will
take place is set for O'Clock this
afternoon. The meetings are usually
held in the mornings, but the city
heads must attend the morning seS-
sions at the Budget Bureau six days
a week, from 10 am. to 1880 pm. and
consequently their board meetings
must re relegated to the afternoon
hours.