Evening star., 1931-05-28
NATURALIZATION
AND NOT INCREASE
FAVORED BY LORD
Fiscal Expert, in Interview,
Regards Realty Levy as
High Enough.
FINDS ASSESSMENTS
HERE ARE COMPETENT
Expresses Opinion Inheritances
and Incomes Might Lessen Reve-
Aue Demand on Other Sources.

The facts that in the District of Co
mmhia very good job" Of "compe-
tent assessment" Is being done and,
while there should be some adjust
n1ents" there should not be an increase
in the real estate tax, win be reported
TO the Special House Committee headed
by Representative Mapes of Michigan
when It meets here on June 9, by
George Lord. Mr.. Lord was employed
BY the committee as tax expert, and
hiss been making q Nationwide COM
parative study.
He has not found anything very
wrong about the assessment work in
Washington. some property is assessed
at fun value and on the whole the
system Of assessment compares very
favorably with other cities on the Ques-
ton Of equalization. The assessment
here averages about 90 per cent of full
valuation" and Mr.. Lord has no criti-
ctsHn to make Of the municipal gov
ernment.
FavOrs Income Tax.
Personally Mr.. Lord favors AN in
come tax instead of the millaee tax
on intangible property" because he be-
neves 1T Is more equitable" He also
says he would be in favor of q new
tnheritance tax. The District Is losing
great deal Of money by failing to have
such tax ''as all the States have" he
believes, and sees mo reason for Great
ing IN the District Of Columbia q haven
of refuge for people who wish to escape
inheritance taxes. It Is the only place
where they can avoid t." he says.
Speaking generally Of taxes every
Rhsre throughout the country--end that
includes Washington--Mr. Lord said in
an intefview today that Something
must be done to curb expenditures. If
expenditures continue to increase, the
tax in Washington necessarily will in
crease as IN other cities" he points out.
Washington, however. he finds. lis much
better on than most cities, because 1t
has no public debt. Evidently there
has been good manegement in the Ma
tional Capital The only question.
therefore. is whether the taxpayers
haze as much to show as have other
cities. which have assumed bonded in
oehtedness for public improvements" I"
Urges Common Sense.
Mr.. Lord insisted that what Is neces-
eary all over the country-and moreso
elsewhere than in Washington-is the
Introduction of common sense In the
conduct Of public business, and less
academic bunk"
His report. which he is now pre-
pairing for submission to the Mapes
Committee, will be divided into dis
cussion Of the different forms of taxa
tion-real estate, personal. income and
inheritance. It will carry the pre-.
yailing rates and the adjusted rates
for different classes Of property-show-
ing the assessed value, the true value,
the prevailing rates and the adjusted
rate on fun valuation. It viii show
the complete picture, he promises. re-
= -, T.,
20 comparable cities.
Mr.. Lord stresses that there is a
great desirability, rs he sees 1t for
curbing expenditures as the surest
safest and most sensible thing to do:
to measure public service by income
and to do away with all frills In the
conduct Of government. Most impor-
tant. he says, Is very careful planning
OF the public budget, Federal, State
and municipal. 1t Is most important,
he believes. to hold expenditures with
in the income and the income must
Be based in the ability Of the people
% pay. They should get in public
works only what they can afford.
Finds Some Confseatory.
He IL extremely desirous of keeping
the taxes down on real estate. People
everywhere throughout the country
are paying too much. he believes
Some taxes have gone far beyond the
bounds Of feason and have become con-
fiscatory. 80 that many thousands Of
poor people are losing their homes.
This b q serious economic situation,
he says.
This condition cannot be cured bv
nnoing new sources Of revenue, he be-
lieves, and adds that his 80 years ex-
perience shows him that when some
new source Of revenue is found, some
other way Of spending the money also
- found. He has seen it work out that
way in nearly all the States. The tap
ping Of new sources Of revenue does
not reduce the tax burden one penny,
and the costs are constantly increasing,
he holds.
Possibility Of some measure of relief
lies, he said, In equalization of taxes
not increase in taxes. Referring to in
tangible property rather than real es-
tate, he points out there are certain
forms OF property not paying enough
taxes. There Is altogether too much
exemption, and intangibles largely es-
cape taxation. The way toward eouali-
1ation lies in income taxes, he asserts.
which would relieve the pressure some
what on real property.
Sees Menace In Debt
The growing public debt is seen as a
&hCat meudCS ny MT. GOf0. he explains
that IL Is increasing about a billion dol
lars year all over the country. It Is
btcoming q menace to our Institutions
OF government. and the day OF reckon
ing Is ne2T at hand. he believes.
The PEOPLE who are hardest hit, he
says, are the poor who are buying their
homcs under contract en- the install
ment payment plan. Some relief must
be AFFORDED to them because they are
losing their homes and their life saw
tnes that went into them.
Mr.. Lord does not propose TO make
recommendations TO the Mapes Com
mittee unless asked. He intends TO pre-.
sent statement Of fact" based on his
extensive survey as an employe Of the
committee. The views expressed above
ne made clear. are his own and are not
70 be taken as predicting what action
the Fiscal Relations Committee maj
AmA Afmaaw