Evening star., 1932-04-09
RECESS IS CALLED
IN MAPES TAX QUIZ
Vigorous Protests Made on
AGENT Gas Assessment.
Income Levy Next.
Continued From First Page.)

tODQLlIlu6u FTOIl FllSb FdBt.J
be fair rate, considering the gasoline
taxes Of the States. He recommended
that a penalty clause be added to the
bill to prevent tax evasion. Russell said
the District has been comparatively free
from efforts at gas tax evasion. but that
some other jurisdictions have had con-
siderable difficulty. He deemed 1t ad-
visable to place a penalty provision in
the local bill. Murphy concurred in
the suggestion.
Chairman Capper asked Murphy
whether there is prospect that gen
eral property taxes here will have to
be increased to meet the needs Of the
District unless the pending new tax
bills are passed, assuming the present
Federal contribution will be continued.
Murphy replied that in the last two
years the requirements of the District
have used up the city'S surplus of
$5, ,000,000 together with 81 100000 Of its
cash working fund. He said it is his
understanding that a number of i'm
portant projects are likely to be post
poned and that in the absence of ..ume
such tax legislation as that now pend
ing, the only alternative would be to
increase the rate on real estate and
personal property assuming the Federal
contribution remains the same.
Presented by Secretary.
The proposed amendment of the Park
and Planning Commission was present.
ed by its secretary, T. S. Settle. A
letter from the commission, which he
filed, stated the amendment would not
require expenditure Of the gas tax on
hIIt would hn
Commissioners to make such expendi-
lures.
The letter indicated the commission
does not expect the District would find
it expedient to allot any gas tax money
to the parks during the next few years,
but that this might be done if there
should develop surplus In the gas tax
fund later on
Opposing the proposal, Maj. Donovan
told Senator Capper the park system
now costs the District 81, 500 900 a year.
$l,000,000 of which is for purchase of
lands and the remainder for main
tenance
He emphasized that Congress not
long ago passed the Cramton act, under
which, he said, local taxpayers are OBJ
hgated to reimburse the Federal Gov
ernment in the amount Of $4,000. 900
over period Of Is years. beginning
this June, for parkway development.
During that time, Donovan said. the
District will pay another S25.000, 900
or $30000,000 toward park mainte-
nance and that the local government
regards this as amply sufficient and
all that it should be asked to pay
toward the parks.
Motorists Protest.
In concluding his statement, Mai
Donovan told Chairman Capper that
when the bill proposing repeal of the
60-4O law comes up for hearing, he
proposes tC go into a very detailed
discussion OF fiscal relations" He said
he takes the position there is no rea-
son why residents here should not pay
a reasonable fair and comparable tax
with that paid by those in other COM
munities.''
The District auditor was followed by
Ring of the Motorists Association,
which, he said, desired ito register its
emphatic protest" against the increase.
Primarily Ring said, this opposition
is based "on the theory that taxation
Of motorists in the city of Washing
ton, seat of the Federal Government,
will exert powerful influence because
VI Vic SlsHLuCdLCe VI washington as
Capital city on all cities of compa-
rable size throughout the United
States"
He summarized the associations op-
position on five bases:
First, the increase in gasoline tax
will mean a proportionate deduction
in the amount the Federal Govern
ment contributes to the District fiscal
program.
Never Received Aid.
Second, for 16 years the Federal
Government has been aiding highway
construction in the States and that the
District, although 1t has never re-
ceived Federal aid, is entitled to this
consideration.
Third, the increase would mark the
final step OF Congress in gradually re-
moving to the shoulders of the mo-
toriSt the expense Of all construction
and maintenance of the highway system
OF the District. That Congress may
err in its conception of what is fair
and what is equitable with relation to
the highway construction program of
the District Of Columbia is evidenced
by the so-called Borland act, he said.
Fourth 1t was argued that a Accent
tax would produce an amount in ex-
cess of the sum needed for construc-
tion, replacement and maintenance of
the highway system, which would 60
into the general fund.
Finally, the association assailed the
proposal that motorists should pay half
OF the construction Of bridges. declaring
this argument was without basic foun-
de- ton"
Klein Of the Petroleum Institute
argued the additional revenue needed
should be assessed equitably and
equally against all property in the Dis
trict instead of levying a large part of
1t on one class through motor vehicle
taxes.
Hall testified efforts are being made
in other parts OF the country to have
gasoline taxes reduced. He said Okla
homa had cut its gas tax from to
cents a gallon and found it collected
more revenue. He said Pennsylvania
had reduced its tax from to 8 cents.
Richmond Rate Cited.
At the conclusion of his statement
for the motorists association, Mr.. Ring
was quizzed extensively by Senator Can.
per, who called attention, among other
things, to the Accent rate in Baltimore
and the scent rate in Richmond, as
compared with cents here. Ring said
those were State propositions and that
the rates applied In nearby States
should not be used as the yardstick for
local taxation.
While Mr.. Carruthers was outlining
the arguments Of the Citizens Fedora
ton against the increase, Senator Cope
land Of New York made this comment
The discouraging thing here is that
if We raise taxes the District won't get
any benefit from 1.-THE Federal Gov
ernment will simply contribute less"
Mr. Guy OF the A. A. A. tod tie COM
mittee that, while Maryland has a A.
cent ta:. it has 14,733 miles Of high
way, or 20 times as many as the District.
to maintain. Virginia, he said, has So
6o4 miles of highway to maintain OF, itS