Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-17

u Is not In the least surprising that
the Federation Of Citizens Associations
ct Its meeting on Saturday night. went
unanimously on record as being op-
posed to an increase IN the gas tax from
two to four cents and In the registration
fee for motor cars from one dollar Il
two dollars. In fact, 1t would have beer
contrary to all logic had the federation
acted otherwise. Absolutely no good
reason has been put forward to show
the necessity for putting an additional
burden on washington motorists save
the rather amusing statement that 'it
encourages greater economy in the OPP
Grafton and design of vehicles and viii
psnalize the owner who operates q
vehicle which is wasteful of the Nations
fuel resources" This brilliant bit Of
logic is contained in the original report
Of the subcommittee on Motor Licenses
OF the Commissioners Trafnc Committee
The whole question of taxation for
Washingtonians, whether it is on water,
on sewers, on streets or any other
&AA1AACAPoA aSeAFAby, 1nuob NC COAlSluCECu
in connection with the fiscal relation
ship between the Federal and the Dis
trict governments. Washington is unique
among cities. It Is the seat Of the
National Government and as such is
developed on grand scale by Congress,
Q scale which Washingtonians them
selves could never hope to support. 1t
follows then that Congress, as the ex-
elusive legislator and the sole arbiter
on how much revenue shall be raised
from District residents and on how It
should be spent, must contribute q fair
sum for the maintenance of the Ma
ttcnal Capital and that each gratuitous
oi1er On the part Of District resi-
dents simply permits the Federal Gov
eminent to sllirk its responsibility.
There Is no more reason for wash
1ngtonians 10 pay the entire cost Of the
street system, which has been laid Out
On grand scale, than there IL for then
70 pay the entire cost Of any Other
municipal activity. The. generous offel
On the part Of the subcommittee Of tn.
Commissioners Trafnc Committee q
therefore unwise IN the extreme and
has been promptly turned down b.
tbs thinking people Of the community
A. > matter Of fact. II Congress choose,
b levy m additional gas tax or registra.
ton fees On helpless neutrality-suspicious.
&c has fun authority to do 90. II cor
not only determine the sine Of the In.
crease, .but it can use the money, thus
raised, for any purpose that It wishes.
Thu gas tax, Of course. Is the gen.
urnais accepted method Of taxation foi
motorists. It Is easy to collect and
probably the least painful" 10. those
who pay It. In States which have
Jagged behind for years In road con-
strtiction and have suddenly awakened
70 ind It imperative to inaugurate large
prosrams. q high gas tax Is quite logi-
cal. But the District is not in. that
position and never win be, so that II
can be in no way compared to a State
IN the matter Of gas-tax revenue.
II IL almost unbelievable that the
Commissioners win approve the recon-
rnendaticn Of their committee, particu.
larry when the committee goes 30 far
aneld In It's suggestion that not only
would the streets be entirely maintained
By the District, but even the salaries In
the Highway Department and the once
ef The Trafic Director could come out
Of tax revenues from motorists. Civic
washington has spoken most unmis-
takAbly on the subject, and It's wishes
shoald be needed.