Evening star., 1932-05-18
d. c. TAX RATE HELD
AVERAGE DUE TO
HIGH ASSESSMENT
Other Cities Base on Lower
Values, Richards Tells
Hearing.
PRICE DROP TO BRING
CHANGES AFTER YEAR
Assessor Says Totals Will Not Be
Cut neutrality-suspicious. Rent
Loss as Great as Elsewhere.

WaShington's real estate tax rate
compares favorably with rates of COM
parable cities when allowance is made
for what other cities pay in interest and
sinking funds on Indebtedness, District
Assessor william P. Richards told the
Senate subcommittee considering the
Districts appropriation bill when 1t re-
sumed hearings today.
Mr. Richards told of study he made
about a year ago Of Is other communi-
ties. He said some of them had higher
tax rates than Washington, but that on
the average they we're placing their as
sessments at about half value.
Drop in Prices Cited.
Another highlight in the testimony of
the assessor came when Senator Bing-
ham of Connecticut. chairman of the
subcommittee, inquired what effect re-
cent sales Of property at prices under
the assessed value would have on as
seSsmentS next year.
The assessor said these reduced sale
prices would not affect the assessment
situation during the coming year. but
that they would result in a lowering
of assessments during the succeeding
year or two.
The morning session also was marked
by discussion over the House pro-
vision designed to prevent the Public
Utilities Commission from enforcing its
order to place taxicabs on meter
basis, and the appearance Of a large
delegation appealing for playground
space for more than 5000 children in
the northeast section.
After Mr.. Richards had given several
of real estate sales recent
ly at reduced prices, in response to
questions of Senator Bingham, the
Senator inquired If the assessments on
those properties will be reduced next
year
Richards replied he would not lower
these individual cases Immediately un-
less the property owners appealed from
the assessments, but he added that in
the ensuing few years there would be
an equalization downward of assess
nents over general areas.
In response to question by Senator
Capper. Richards said there has not
been the fan in rentals here there has
been in other cities.
Expensive Rents Drop.
Senator Bingham asked If that Is not
due to the fact the biggest business in
the Federal Government,
has not had to cut salaries, as have
Industries elsewhere.
Richards agreed that was so. Sena-
tor Bingham said, however, 1t Is also
true that rents in the more expensive
apartments and hotels have come down.
The assessor previously had testified
the increase in the per capita property
wealth of cities generally since before
the war came about largely through
rental properties. He said that just
before the war study CT a number of
cities showed per capita wealth Of 81 800
in property and that a few years ago
they had an indicated value per capita
of $2,500 or $4,000. He said about 2
years ago a study was made of rents
to see how they compared with Is years
ago and he found the difference to be
about so per cent. He then expressed
the belief the per capita increase in
property values over that period was due
to rental properties.
Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chairman of
the Public Utilities Commission, told
the committee that if Congress wants
to take taxicabs from under the control
of the Public Utilities Commission there
is a much easier way to do it, but If
taxicabs are to be left to the jurisdic-
tion of the commission it should not
be restricted in exercising that control.
Senators Dickinson and Capper both
indicated they thought the meter re-
quirement would put a large number of
cabs off the streets and thereby add to
unemployment.
Ask $3.50, 0,000, for School.
A large delegation headed by Edward
r. Williams Of the Business High
School Parent Teachers Association,
urged the committee to allow s160,O00
for completing the Roosevelt CBusiness)
High School and for improving the
grounos. The delegation, representing
a number of civic groups, also asked
for an increase In the item for furnish
ing the new high school, and made a
plea for early erection Of stadium
there.
w. L. Bruckart testified to the need
for the new elementary school in Fox
hall Village, which was eltminted by
the House.
George L. Gee, of the Rhode Island
avenue section in northeast Washington
testified concerning the need for the
erection Of Taft Junior High School
and for more traffic lights on Rhode
Island avenue northeast.
Wilbur Finch, head of the Burroughs
Citizens Association, outlined several
projects he said are needed in that area,
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