Evening star., 1930-12-16
Tells House Hearing Citizens
Ought to Pay Ordinary
Expenses Only.
CITES ADDITIONAL BURDEN
FROM MUNICIPAL CENTER
Seat Of Government Costlier Than
Comparable Cities, Engineer Com
missioner Declares.

The United States should make q
contribution to the District suflcient
TO meet expenses above the normal op-
Grating cost Of the Municipal Govern
ment. Maj. John G. Gotwals, Engineer
Commissioner of the District, today told
the special committee of the House
studying the fiscal relationship between
the Federal and District Governments.
Maj, Gotwals made his statement in
response to direct question by Chair
man Mapes as to what he believed
should constitute a practical formula
for determining the relative contribu-
ton of the United States toward the
operation and maintenance of the
District.
Maj. Gotwals pointed out that the
expenses Of the District are greater than
those of other comparable municipali-
ties due to the fact that Washington
is the Nations Capital and he believed
the United States should share In those
expenses of the excess cost. He cited as
one glaring illustration the additional
burden placed upon the District because
1t Is the seat Of the National Govern
ment, the cost of erecting the munici-
pal center, where the buildings are to be
made monumental in character to har-
monte with those of the Federal build
ings TO be erected on the Pennsylvania
avenue-Mall triangle.
Suggests Fair Solution.
IT think a fair and equitable solu-
tion of the problem" Maj. Gotwals said,
would be to separate the operating
District and let the District bear the
ordinary expenses and the Federal Gov
ernment the others. This is in reality
an unconscious appliance of the same
principle embodied in the $3.50, 60-40
and lump-sum plan of Federal contri-
button"
Chairman Mapes questioned Mai.
Gotwals for his reason for thinking the
United States should contribute toward
the Capital expenditures Of the Dis
trict. He replied that If the United
States made no contribution then the
District would have to get along with
out the improvements 1t is now carrying
out and be forced to operate on its cur
rent revenues entirely.
Maj. Gotwals brouga out &C the
outset OF his testimony that the Dis
trict's budget for the 1882 fiscal year is
predicated on O Federal contribution
of 80 500 900, and pointed out that even
with this amount the District would be
forced to dip into the surplus revenues
to its credit in the Federal Treasury to
the extent of $260,000 to provide the
improvements contemplated. This
$9, 500, 900 contribution, he said, will be
applied entirely to Capital expenditures,
while all other operating costs will be
met out Of revenues collected by the
District.
Prospective Expenses Reviewed.
"Our present expenditures are ex-
traordinary." said Maj. Gotwals "The
Commissioners asked the department
heads to give them an outline of pros
pective Capital expenditures for the next
15 years. These have not been care
fully reviewed, however, but / know
they are not complete. For instance,
there Is no provision for a sewage dis
posal plant. That is something we may
be forced to provide in the next is
years"
Chairman Mapes asked Commissioner
Gotwals If he was familiar with taxes
and the tax burden outside of WASH
mtgon. In reply, he said his family
was paying taxes on property outside
OF ST. Louis and that he owned a house
in Norristown, Pa, and one in WASH
ington, and that he had no impression
that the tax burden is 'Nbnormally high
or abnormally low" in Washington in
comparison with those two places.
Mr.. Mapes then asked him If he knew
Continued on Page 2, Column a.