Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-14
Manufacturing a Smokescreen.

The reasoning behind the Mapes
Committees theorizing about the jusH-
fcation for imposing higher taxes upon
the local community is cloudy enough
to begin with The findings Of Its own
expert, If any, have been carefully
shielded from the taxpayers. They are
not in correct form, or representing
that state of completed perfection, that
would warrant making them public.
But they are apparently complete
enough to satisfy the committee that
the solution Of the fiscal problem lies
in plastering the local community with
heavy, additional taxation. BY next No
vember the hard-working expert, Mr..
George Lord, may be able to draw up q
brief that will support the verdict al
ready delivered. 1t will be eagerly
awaited.
But in the meantime there are sew
eral other points of interest that bear
study. What, If anything, did the COM
xnittee talk about before deciding, be-
hind the locked doors Of its executive
sessions, on the imposition OF new and
higher taxes? Committee members have
Informally discussed their views with
reporters. Mr.. Mapes is represented as
being pessimistic about the committees
ability to reach a solution Of the ques-
ton it is studying. Other members
have limited at the possibility that the
increased revenue to come from the new
taxes might be applied toward O reduc-
ton either Of the Federal lump sum or
of the local tax on real estate. other
members have said that computing the
Federal liability on the basis Of theo-
reticaI assessment of Federal property,
the United States would owe only
$4,000 900 a year instead of the present
$9,5Oo0oo, and that this six and half
million has been estimated as the pos
sible Federal contribution to be recon-
mended.
All of which is indicative of q state
of confusion worse COMPOUNDED by igno-
rance of the facts. If Congress, blindly
ignoring the question Of equity, should
shut its eyes and enact the new taxation
recommended tentatively by the House
Committee, the increase In revenues
would amount to something over 81, 000,-
900. But in the fiscal years 1881 and
1882 the District is spending on an
average of 100000 above current rev.
enues, using for the purpose q surplus
of revenue accumulated through the
misapplication Of a former budget
policy since abandoned. The four mil
lions annual additional revenue to be
raised by new and higher taxes would
merely enable the District, with the
present lump sum, to meet such yearly
appropriation demands as those which
are represented in the fiscal years 1891
and 1882. But the expenses Of the Dis
trict are constantly increasing. and win
continue to increase as the city grows
and its necessary development goes for
ward.
Yet some members Of the committee,
in the face of such facts, talk about
reducing the Federal contribution or
reducing the real estate tax out Of the
proceeds Of the new forms Of revenue.
AS a practical proposition. the COM
tnittee's formula is nat failure. It
would not produce the actual dollars
and cents needed to develop the District
upon the scale set by its all-powerful,
omnipotent, yet alien. legislature. AS an
equitable solution Of the fiscal relations
problem the thing smells to high heaven
of prejudiced and precipitate action.
And the unofficial comments Of the in
dividual members indicate an amazing
lack Of appreciation of the problem be-
fore them, great distaste for under
taking the actual labor involved In try
ing to solve 1t and a somewhat arrogant
disregard Of the rights of the people Of
the District to know the facts upon
which they have been found guilty Of
escaping their just obligations as tax
paying citizens.
The only logical conclusion now is
that the committee has thrown out O
Emokescreen in the form Of threats of
higher taxation, behind which 1t may
uninterruptedly twiddle its thumbs until
next November.