Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-13
Pay Bill and Tax Rate.


one of q number of measures discussed
for several years but not included in
the five-year financial program for the
District prepared last March by Auditor
Donovan. This financial program con-
templated, on the basis of the existing
sum policy, the expenditure during the
five years from 1880 to 1894, inclusive,
Of the sum of $230,616,000. An effort
was made to include in this program
those measures that were deemed most
pressing. But not included In the pro-
gram were other projects estimated to
cost In the neighborhood OF $2s, 00o, 900.
Representative Simmons has made
the police and firemen's pay bill, favor
ably reported upon by the Commission
ers and the Budget Bureau, the occa-
sion for raising finger of warning. He
says, in effect, that to grant the higher
salary recommendations contained in
this bill there must be an additional
appropriation of $3.50, 1926 and that this
additional appropriation will necessitate
an increase in the tax rate Of at least
five cents.
In discussing his five-year program
last March, Mr.. Donovan wrote con-
corning the police and firemens pay bill
as follows:
During the last Congress bills were
introduced to increase the pay of off,
GERS and members Of the Fire Depart
ment and of the Metropolitan Police
Force. H. r. 9346 was reported out by
the House committee on the District of
Columbia carrying certain increases in
salaries. Had this bill been enacted into
law 1t would have represented an an
nual increase in expenditures Of the
District Of Columbia Of about 100000.
This five-year program does not include
any money for such increases. In the
event that Congress passes the bill and
it becomes law, there will, of course. be
SUFFICIENT money to pay the higher
salaries.
II there Is to be suficient money to
pay the higher salaries there Is no use
hosting the danger signal and pointing
with alarm to an increased tax rate.
That is less interesting, however, than
the fact that Mr.. Simmons conceives
higher taxes to be the inevitable result
Of meeting such expenses rs do not
come within the prospective budgets to
be financed through the existing tax
rate, plus the lump sum.
The Districts expenses are naturally
increasing. They must be met. But
raising tax rate that by reason OF the
system of assessments in Washington Is
already high, is not the only alternative.
For six fiscal years Congress has been
lodging the fair and lawful method
provided for sharing equitably between
the local municipality and the Federal
Government the heavy expenses OF
maintaining and upbuilding the Federal
Capital. An inelastic lump sum, arbi-
trariiy fixed for some mysterious rea-
son ut $1,000. 900, has replaced the law
full forty per cent as the Federal con-
tribution. The burden upon the Capt.
tai community has increased steadily,
while that Of the Federal Government
has remained virtually stationary. The
result Is that when all the taxes ex-
tracted from the voteless residents OF
the District fail to meet the bill, the
answer that comes from Capitol Hill is
that there must be still higher taxes.
II the needs of the municipality alone
were financed by local taxation, spent
according to the will of those who pay
the taxes, the threat of higher taxation
to meet higher costs of government would
be natural. But the people Of the
Capital have nothing to say about how
their taxes are to be spent. They are
not allowed to choose between modern
izing their school system, building model
reptile houses at the National Zoo, con-
structing a S21, 900, 900 Municipal Cen
ter or paying adequate salaries to such
public servants as police and firemen.
Their taxes are fixed without appeal.
Their program Of spending these taxes
is laid out for them, cut and dried. If
they advocate something not in this
program they are told either to keep
quiet or be prepared to pay more taxes.
If they keep quiet they are accused Of
lacking in "civic interest" and II they
rebel at higher taxes they are accused
of mendicancy and tax-dodging.
The District is paying its fair share
in taxes. The Congress should, recip-
rocally, increase the Federal Govern
ment's share by returning to the fixed
proportion Of forty per cent, or, in lieu
thereof, increase the lump sum.