Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-08
Financing Semi National Projects.


The Senate should increase the lump
sum as recommended by its appropria-
tions committee, for in this increase
there is contained the simplest and
most effective remedy for the condi-
lions now faced by the taxpayers of
this community after six years of con-
filming the Federal contribution to the
arbitrary and inadequate sum Of
So, 600, 000
The increase is justified by the
great increase in governmental pur-
chases of land and its consequent re-
moval from the revenue-producing to
the tsx-exempt list; by the special
equitable obligation upon the Nation to
maintain and develop the Capital and
by the inclusion, and the increasing
tendency to include, extraordinary ma
tional or semi-national projects in the
District bill, thus throwing their cost,
which should be borne equitably in
part by the Federal Government,
almost wholly upon the District.
The appropriation for expenditure
under the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission is one of these
national or semi-national projects, the
law governing which provides that the
Nation shall pay its definite proportion
of total expenditure. The annual ap-
preparations of about a million dollars
9 year are directed by the law itself to
be paid from the revenues of the Dis
trict of Columbia and the general funds
of the Treasury in the same proportion
as other expenses of the District Of Co
lumbia." The ratio fixed by law, never
repealed, is 60-40 and the annual legis-
lative evasions of this law since 1924
do not repeal or amend it.
Under existing law, which would be
changed by the Cramton park bill, the
money for expenditure by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
raised from District revenues could be
spent in Maryland or Virginia. This
has never been done. But the authori-
zation contained in the law itself, as
well as other considerations that figured
in drafting the original law, is SUFFICIENT
indication of the broadly national as
poets of the legislation. The Cram
ton bill, not yet enacted, corrects the
dangerous threat that lies in making
District money available for spending
in the States. But the Cramton bill
continues the inequitable system by
which q project, national in its incep-
ton and direction, is financed from 10
cal revenues without the lawfully pro-
vided contribution Of 20 per cent from
the National Government. AS indica-
tive of the inherent dangers to the Dis
trict in this system, the financing OF the
proposed municipal airport and Of the
Municipal Center, two semi-national
undertakings, would be accomplished
by increases in District Of Columbia
contributions, with no increase, unless
the Senate now authorizes 1t, In the
Federal contribution.
II the Federal contribution is not in
creased, these national or semi-national
projects should be removed from the
local supply bill and carried in other
supply bills, where the sharing of the
expense, which the law or equity de-
mands, can be specifically provided.
Increasing the local tax rate to pay
for these national or seni-national
projects that find their way into the
District bill is neither the logical nor
the equitable alternative, If there Is
no increase in the lump sum. If there
is no increase in the lump sum, they
should be removed from the appropria-
ton bill and other reductions made TO
bring the amount of revenue to be ex-
pended down to an amount that in
equity can be demanded from local
taxpayers.