Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-06
'S5|)Q,0)O,O[O VALUE .
!. OF u. S. PROPERTY
TAX-EXEMPT HERE
Assessor Richards Gives Is.
innate to House Fiscal Rela-
-. Isl
tons Committee.
CAPITOL, AT $45, 600, 900,
LARGEST SINGLE PIECE
Suggestion Made for Income OF IN
heritance Tax to Replace That
on Intangible.

Tax Assessor william p. Richards to-
day told the special House COMMITTEES
appointed to study the fiscal relations
ship between the Federal and District
governments that there is approximate-
ly $646,oO0,0oO of tax-exempt property
In Washington. s5oO.oOO,oOO Of which
Is owned by the United States. Taxable
privately owned property, he said, Is.
valued at $l,211 10000
Dividing the total Of tax-exenpt
property, Mr.. Richards explained that
$S6,OOO,0O0 worth is owned by the Dis-
trict government, while 500 .OO0. 600
worth Is held by churches, hospitals and
other institutions which are not re-
quired to pay tax.
In arriving at this total estimated
value OF Federal owned property, Mr..
nicnaro said he placed valuation OF
go zoo 200 on the Capitol. Of which
5000, 900 is on the building and fire
remaining $20,000,000 on the grounds.
Inc Library Of Congress was valued AZ
$lS,O0O,0O0, of which $4,000. 900 Is on
grounds.
Other Valuations Given.
Valuations placed on the Senate and
House once Buildings and grounds ess-
ceeded total Of $14,5OO 900. IN each
case Mr.. Richards valued the buildings
at $4,000, 900, but he placed q valuation
OF ,484 900 on the site of the Senate
once Building and a valuation Of
grounds.
The committee developed by ouest,on-
ing Mr.. Richards that reprodrIcfins,
historical and sentimental elements ana
not commercial factors, were Fra
principal bases used in determining tl,e
value OF the Federal buildings. These
buildings, he contended, are monu-
mental In character and probably viii
stand for hundreds Of years so that
depreciation cannot be used as factor
IN determining value as In the case Of
commercial structures.
Proposes Income Tax.
In response ia questions by members
OF the committee, Mr.. Richards said
he would favor an Inheritance or In
come tax for the District to replace
Inc present tax on intangibles. He ex-
pressed the belief that such taxes would
De more equitable than the tax on
intangibles, although he said he did
not consider the Intangible tax bur-
denSome
Representative Frear Of Wisconsin
asked Mr.. Richards If he cared to make
any statement with respect TO Washing
tons gasoline tax and motor vehicle
license fees. mo" he replied, II
wouldn't like to make any comment as
TO the question of policy"
Mr.. Richards also outlined the In
crease In the valuation OF Federal
property since 1880, pointing out that
In that year the total value was placed
at $50, 100000, jumping to $780, O0. 900
In 1888, and e264, 000,0 900 in 1902.
Values Rise Since 1927.
In 1915. however, the assessor said
he reduced the total valuation to s227.-
600, 900 because he felt that the values
then carried on his books were too high.
Since 1925, however, he declared the
values had risen to $500 900 900.
Mr.. Richards has been on the Wit
ness stand two and a half DAYS. and
he resumed his testimony this morning
by explaining to the committee how he
arrived at estimates in q table subrnit-
ted earlier in the hearing, showing the
assessed value Of property in 80 differ
ent cities, as compared with Washing
ton. This table disclosed that the aver
age assessments in these 30 cities were
based on go per cent Of the true value
The average population of these 80
cities, the tax assessor explained, is
very close to the population Of Wash
ington.
Chairman Mapes brought out that
some persons have commended that the
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