Evening star., 1932-02-04

of contribution should be. The indefinite
proportion plan had been in operation
down to 1878. 1t had proven a dismal
failure in properly and orderly Capital
development. The citizens of the Dis
trict never knew what they could expect
from the Government by way of assist
ance in Capital expenditures Some
years Congress appropriated literally,
some years niggardly, other years not
at all. This policy, followed for 78
years, ended in the citizens of the Dis
trict finding themselves overtaxed, with
tremendous Indebtedness, uncertain
and f1uctuating property values, and a
Capital City, laid out on great plan
but wholly undeveloped, insanitary,
unSightly and disgrace to a great and
wealthy people.
Return to "Old System" Threatened.
THE unconditional repeal of the half
and-half provision of the act of 1873
would reinstate the old system. Every
reason that appealed to Congress in
1878 to definitely fix the relations be-
| tween the National Government and the
citizens of the District as to Capital
maintenance now appeals to Congress
to not undo the wise solution of this
problem then reached. If the ratio OF
Federal and District contribution then
provided for is now inequitable, it
should be changed and a proper ratio
established but the wise plan of a fixed
and certain contribution from the
National Government should not be
abandoned.
| The evidence submitted to the COM
mlttee, evidence which we believe to
be as accurate and reliable as it is pos
Slhlp a ho ole +b,o
the citizens of the District of Columbia
are undertaXed. The property taxes
| paid by citizens of Washington are
fairly comparable in every way to the
taxes paid by ci:,zens of other cities
similar to Washington in resources and
population.
For the fiscal year 1918, citizens OF
Washington paid per capita realty tax
OF $l655. OF the 68 other cities in
the United States with over 100000
population. 26 paid higher per capita
realty tax. AZ a lower For the same
year, the total per capita property tax
in Washington was S2068. Thirty of
/ the 6S cities paid a higher and SO a
lower per capita tax. For the same
year so out of 227 cities in the United
States which have a population of over
10000 paid higher per capita property
tax than Washington while l76 paid a
lower
Decreasing Taxable Area.
"WaShingtons realty subject to taxa
ton is only a fraction of the city's area
and this fraction will grow less as
the constantly growing needs of the
Government require larger and larger
areas for public buildings and other
Government uses. When it is considered
that the vast holdings Of the Govern
ment are exempt from taxation and
that a large part of the most valuable
realty in the District is Government
property, and when it is further con-
Sidered that approximately one-fourth
Of the City'S population is cOlored and
pays a small proportion Of the taxes,
and that many thousands more of its
inhabitants are Government employees,
most of whom pay small tax and
many of whom pay none at all it would
seem its citizens are sufficiently taxed
when its per capita realty and general
property taxes exceed those of a ma
jority of American cities of over 100 900
population.
1T is our conclusion. therefore, that
the people of the District are now taxed
fairly and reasonably. This is especially
the case as to realty and personal prop
erty other than intangibles. The rate
Of three-tenthS of l per cent on in
tangible property is lower than similar
property is taxed in many of the States
Total Contributions Not Excessive.
The amount of revenue derived from
District taxation doubled by the addi-
tion of like amount from the Federal
Treasury. is not more than the needs
~ hn n fpin
very necessary improvements are now
being delayed. All available revenues
under the existing arrangement will not
more than meet the pressing needs of
the District for years to come
Justice and equity to the citizens of
the District, who, Of all American
citizens, have absolutely no voice in
their local government, and the best
interests of the Capital City will be
served by leaving unchanged the act
OF June II, 1878.
Signed: IT. S. WILLIAMS,
IN. J. GOULD,
"F N. ZIHLMAN
STUART F. REED,
EDWARD D. HAYS,
"B. K. FOCHT.
FRANK MURPHY,
IL. E. WHEELER"
This Mapes bill passed the House,
was rejected by the Senate-which re-
stored the 800 provision of organic
law-and died III conference.
Citizens Again Active.
The Joint Citizens Committee during
the controversy of 1920 had presented
WaShingtOn'S case before the COM
mltteeS of the House and Senate and
again had demonstrated by tables and
statistics that, when fairly compared,
their real estate tax burden was heavy,
their per capita tax from all municipal
taxes was heavier than in cities with
which Washington is appropriately COM
pared and that, even when the unfair
comparison of including all county
and State taxes elsewhere is made the
District had a creditable showing.
Members Of the Citizens Joint Com
mittee not only demonstrated how
grossly excessive Washington's tax bur
den would have been, compared with
other cities, if a 2l2 per cent rate had
been applied to its high level of as
sessment, but showed also that it would
have been excessive even with per
cent rate applied.
1t was brought out by the Citizens
Joint Committed discussing the tax
question before the Senate subcommit-
tee handling the appropriation bill in
1920, that:
IF our tax rate had been per cent
in 1918, our city tax per capita would
have been greater than the city, county
and State per capita of st. Louis. Bal
timore, Milwaukee, Newark. Cincinnati,
New orleans, Minneapolis, Kansas City,
jersey City, Portland, Indianapolis,
Louisville, st. Paul, Los Angeles and
San Francisco. 1t would have exceed
ed the city, county and State per cap
ita of SO out of 68 cities of over 100000
population and l9l out of 226 cities of
over 10000 population. 1t would have
exceeded the city per capita of 81 out
of SO cities above 10000, and the city
per capita of 2l4 out of 226 cities of
over 10000 population.
$50 our protest and our objection are
just as vigorous and, we claim, as con-
vincing, through the showing made by
the figures, against one-third increase
of our tax burden as they are against
irIc