Evening star., 1932-04-09
MAPES TAX QUIZ
AWAITS FINDINGS
ON EARNINGS LEVY
Hearings Halt After Vigorous
Protests on AGENT Gas
Assessment.
TESTIMONY RECEIVED
ON 3 OF 5 PROPOSALS
Efficiency Bureau at Work on In
come Report-Fiscal Relations
Is Final Phase.

After hearing vigorous protests from
city-wide groups of citizens and motor
lists against raising the gasoline tax
from 2 to cents a gallon, Chairman
Capper CT the Senate District Commit
tee last night brought hearings on the
Mapes taxation bills temporarily to a
close.
The committee thus far has taken
testimony on the proposed local estate
tax, the motor vehicle weight tax and
the suggested increase in the gas tax.
There are two more bills in the Mapes
program-the proposed local income
tax and the measure seeking to repeal
the substantive law which established
the 6o-4O ratio of apportioning the
expenses Of the Capital City between the
District and Federal governments.
Income Tax Hearings Next.
Hearings on the income tax measure
will be called after the Bureau of Eff
cheney submits its findings on that sub
lect and then will come final hearings
on the basic issue of fiscal relations in
connection with the 60-40 repeal bill.
Although Congress has been departing
from the 6040 plan in recent years by
the substitution of annual lump-sum
Federal contributions, it has never re-
pealed the substantive provision for a
nxed ratio. And since the House in
proposing new District taxes is also
advocating reduction from $500 900
to $6,500,000 in the Federal share. the
concluding hearings on the fiscal rela-
tlcnS problem will be the most impor-
tant of the series.
The following groups appeared yes
terday in opposition to doubling the
gasoline tax: The Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations, represented BY L. A.
Carruthers and Edwin S. Hege: the
local division of the American Auto
mobile Association, by Walter B. Guy:
American Motorists Association. Daniel
S. Ring: Washington Automotive Trade
Association, Richard j. Murphy; Motor
Vehicle Owners Association; Harry c.
DAVIS, representing operators of Dia-
mond taxicabS, and the American Pc
troleum Institute, by H. T. Klein, e. S.
Hall and William r. Boyd
Testify for Gas Tax.
Arguments in favor Of the Accent gas
tax were outlined to the committee by
Thomas F. Murphy, assistant chief of
the Bureau of Efficiency. Charles,
A. Russell, deputy District assessor, also
testified he regarded the proposed tax
as fair compared with the rates else
where
Spokesman for the motorists and
citizens all emphasized that higher gas
taxes elsewhere are fixed to meet the
requirements of far-flung systems of
State highways and that only five
States apportion any part of the gas
tax to the cities, whereas the District
OF Columbia Is limited area compris-
ing only 726 miles of city streets. They
also argued that taxation should be
based on revenue need, and that it
would be unfair to levy the entire cost
OF highways directly on motorists.
Unexpected Development.
A request from the National Park ard
Planning Commission that part of the
gasoline taxes Of the District be spent
on roadways in the Federal parks of the
city in the future came as an unex-
peeted development yesterday.
The Park Commissions proposal
drew prompt and vigorous opposition
from District Auditor Daniel j. Dono-
van, who, speaking for the Commission
ers, said the District already is paving
ltS general revenue fund toward up
keep of the parks.
Another highlight early in the hear
ing was the statement OF William Nick.
Clayton, leader in citizen association
circles, that If Congress enacts the
four-cent gasoline tax the people of
the District would expect to have re-
pealed the Borland law. which assesses
part OF the cost OF street improvements
against abutting property owners.
Would Be No Surplus.
Clayton pointed out the Huuest Of
the Park Commission for some of the
gas tax money was based on the as
sumption there might be a surplus in
the gas tax fund after a number OF
years. If the Borland law was re-
pealed, Clayton said, there would be no
such surplus.
The stand taken by the District
auditor against the Park Commission
proposal was in line with the conclu-
sion reached by the Bureau of Eff
cheney, which reported to Chairman
Capper that it would be inequitable as
between motor vehicle owners and gen.
eral taxpayers to place expenses of the
parks on the motor vehicle owners.
The first witness called was Thomas
F. Murphy. He outlined the reasons
which prompted the bureau to approve
the Accent gas tax proposal as one that
would not be unduly burdensome in
meeting the motor vehicle owners share
of taxation to be applied to street work,
There we're delegations present, how
ever, from a number Of trade, civic and
motoring organizations to testify later
in opposition to the increased tax.
Russell testified the Accent tax would
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