Evening star., 1930-12-03

CONTINUED From First Page)
Gus fight against the proposed increase
in gasoline tax as an illustration of
the opposition to the development Of
new source Of revenue to relieve the
ever-mounting burden Of municipal ex-
penses.
Mr.. Simmons then asked the commit
tee to take into consideration during
its study his contention that property
values in Washington were higher be-
cause 1t Is the Nations Capital.
"The presence of private property in
the District" he declared, docs not
add one dollar for utilitarian purposes
to the Federal Government"
Mr.. Simmons began his testimony
with a historical resume Of the fiscal
relationship between the United States
and the District and the various prob
LENS that developed. going back to the
administration Of Gov. Shepherd,
In Original Limits.
Congress, he declared, adopted this
plan without going into the merits of
Gov. Shepherds claim that the United
States should share equally in the ex-
penses of Washington. At that time,
however, he pointed out, the City of
Washington was within its original
limits, or, he added, what the 35-cent
taxicab operators refer to as the city
proper"
Mr.. Simmons emphasized that there
are several schools Of thought over the
policy of fiscal relations, one of which
claims that the $3.50 ratio Is sacred"
Another group, he said, claims that
Congress has no right to change the
6O-40 principle as provided In substan-
tive law.
I'm this connection" he declared, "it
is my belief that the Congress which
has the right to make that law has the
right to change It."
In discussing the various policies of
fiscal relations, Mr.. Simmons declared
he had never been able to see where
there was any obligation on the part of
the United States to contribute to the
District public school system.
Expensive System.
Incidentally" he said, sit is one of
the most extensively maintained sys-
TENS in the United States Moreover,
We are paying for schools that ought to
be above the average"
why" he asked, should the people
in New York or California be called
upon to pay for Washington's school
system?"
Mr.. Simmons closed his testimony
with an appeal to the committee TO see
that fair play is done to the people
OF the United States in its study Of the
fiscal relations problem.
THE committee will have before it."
he said. Representatives of a number of
citizens and other organizations, and
probably no one representing the cit
izenS Of the United States The COM
mittee will have to sit in that capacity
to see that fair play is done to the peo-
pie of the United States"
Defends Policy.
Mr.. Cramton, the only other witness
heard by the committee, gave an out
line of the history Of the existing lump
sum policy, which he fathered, and
strongly defended its merits.
The lump sum plan, he pointed out,
cid not attempt to reduce the contribu-
ton the United States had been making
toward the expenses Of the District. He
said his motive in proposing the plan
increase its appropriations after the war
when the many major public improve
mentS we're vitality necessary without
adding to the Federal burden.
MI. Cramton pointed out that at the
time Of the adoption of the lump-sum
plan the prevailing tax rate in the
District was $1.20 on every 500 of as
oCooCA Fd4ddblOu' i 4Alc pIcScIlL Tdte Is
$170, he declared, which is below the
levies paid in nearly every other city
in the country, and yet the people of
the District receive more for their tax
money than the others.
Aided Development.
Mr.. Cramton said that the adoption
OF the lump-sum plan was followed
by a storm of criticism of Congress.
There will never come a time" he
said, when the newspapers of Wash
ington and certain organizations cease
to agitate the fiscal relations policy,
until you see the time to pay all ex-
penses out Of the Federal Treasury, and
agree to all requests for appropriations.
The criticism likely will diminish as
that millennium is approached"
Mr.. Cramton also declared that the
improvements accomplished under the
lump-sum plan resulted in the de-
velopment of Washington several years
in advance of what it would have been
under the old percentage plan.