Evening star., 1931-12-30
&c. Of c. PROTESTS
| ON TAX MEASURES
House "RaiIroading" Scored
and Fight Against LevieS
Planned in Senate.

Resolutions protesting the, recon-
mendations of the Mapes Committee
for increased taxation in the District
of Columbia on "piece-meaP basis,
without regard to the source OF the tax
levies, were adopted yesterday by the
Committee on District Finances OF the
Washington Chamber of Commerce, at
its first meeting since the tax-boosting
bills passed the House.
The committee also vigorously pro-
tested the manner in which the four
Mapes bills were "railroaded" through
the House, without the opportunity be-
ing given the citizens directly affected
by the bills to be heard. No hearings
were held on the bills before they were
passed in the House.
The Chamber group demanded ade-
quate hearings on all four measures be-
fore they are taken up in the Senate.
The committee expressed It's hope and
belief that the voteless people of the
National Capital would be given fair
opportunity on the Senate side OF Con-
gresS to present arguments against what
it termed the unfair tax proposals OF
the Mapes Committee.
Study by Commissioners Asked.
Enactment OF taxation legislation
drafted without regard to the whole
system of taxation in the District was
aSSailed by the committee as resulting
in pronounced inequitieS in the diStribu-
ton OF the tax burden. A balanced syS-
tenn of taxation cannot be maintained,
the committee held, unless complete
reallocation of the whole tax burden
is carried out when increases in the
levieS are made.
The committee recommended that
the District Commissioners, appointed
by Congress to manage the cityS affairs,
should be called upon to study the Dis
trictS finances to determine If more
funds are necessary, and then make
study Of the whole tax system to deter
mine what each source Of taxation
should bear in the way of increase.
Endorsement of the recent action Of
the Citizens Joint Committee on Fiscal
Relations between the District and the
United States voicing objection to tax
increases on the basis of reducing the
Federal contribution to the Capitals
upkeep was voted by the chamber
group.
The trade body committee prepared
to assemble statistical data with which
to present its arguments against the
Mapes bills when hearings are held, and
the group indicated 1t would cooperate
to the fullest extent with other civic
and trade groups in launching vigor-
Gus campaign against passage Of the
tax bills in the Senate.
Retention of the 6040 ratio OF fiscal
relations should be made an objective
of the local taxpayers, Or. George G.
Havenner, member of the committee,
urged. IF we cannot get Congress to
adhere to that division of municipal
finances in the District, then we should
direct our efforts toward maintaining
the s9,500000 lump sum contribution,
and work for its increase If possible"
Strong arguments against the tax
measures we're presented by Harry King,
president Of the chamber; Raymond F.
Garrity, local attorney, and Col. E. G.
Bliss, chairman Of the committee. sup
views expressed by DR..
Havenner.
Garrity Scores Comparisons.
Garrity pointed out that compari-
son OF the Districts tax rates with
those Of any city or State cannot be
a basis for any argument whatsoever
on the local tax issue. There is no
city in the country just like Washing
ton" he said 1T is unique. We are
forced to heavier expenditures than any
other city because 1t is the Federal
seat of the United States
We must erect monu-
mental buildings for public Offices cost
ing Thousands of dollars more than
those of other cities, merely to keep up
the Identification Of the National Capt.
tai"
Garrity cited the instance of the Dis
trict Building which, he said, cost the
city $4,000 900 and is good for another
so years as a municipal building, But
Congress asks us to move out and build
another municipal center that will har-
monize with its Federal building pro-
gram that is to cost us s50,000000.
Why, then, should not Congress pay
for it?"
King assailed the method Of tax as
In the District, which he said
is based on the sale valuation OF any
piece Of property within certain block.