Evening star., 1933-11-17
DATA FOR D. c. TAX
SLASH COLLECTED
Mrs. Norton Promises Quick
Consideration-JobIeSs
Insurance Studied.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Determination to have the question of
taxation for District residents made a
special order of business for the House
District Committee as soon as it meets,
so that the various means of raising
revenue decided upon can be balanced
and included in one comprehensive
measure, was expressed today by Chair
man Norton Of the House District Com
mittee.
Mrs. Norton also emphasized that
legislation for unemployment insurance
will be considered by her committee, SO
that 1t may be prepared to counsel
wisely on a general Federal unemploy-
ment insurance measure.
That there should be a complete re-
assessment OF District real estate. with
the assessment based on present -day
values OF what the owner could get for
the property under a forced sale. is a
conclusion reached by the District Com
mlttee chairman. She has been de-
voting much time since Congress
adjourned to study of the District
taxes and is having considerable data
prepared for her by District officials.
she is opposed to the practice of various
members Of the House or Senate advo-
eating legislation and introducing bills
Tor some special tax to be imposed on
District residents solely because some
sucn tax seems desirable in their home
community.
Situation Different.
Mrs. Norton points out that the sjtu-
atlon III Washington is decidedly differ
ent from all other communities. She
INSISTS that taxes are justified onlV when
tnere Is a direct need and never Should
De imposed merely because some other
community has used certain method
to raise money.
All taxes should be balanced and
included In comprehensive tax code
she declares. and the taxes should be
reouced whenever possible. rather than
be increased. This all makes the study
OF District taxation big problem. Mrs
Norton points out. 1T should be given
Hlte!ilgent study, she said. That is
What l am working toward and hav-
ing data accumulated. I favor an
equitable tax code for District resi-
dents and believe it is possible through
reassessment to reduce taxes. espe-
clally on homes"
Insurance Vital"
Mrs. Norton also is convinced that
we must come to unemployment in
sufance." This is one of the most i'm
portant legislative lessons to be learned
from the recovery program, she SAYS.
We must be prepared to take up the
SLACK when business becomes relatively
normal-in year or SO We never will
have all the people employed-we never
have had-because there are always a
certain percentage of shiftless ones who
labor earnestly to avoid and evade
work. We are now putting our second
4,O0O,OO0 back to work, and within
year business will be on a much better
basis-but there will still be a surplus
OF workers. We must be prepared
within the coming year to take care of
this slack as the intensive recovery
program tapers off. Congress must eff
feet this cure Of condition which has
been so vexatious for the past several
years and by permanent relief through
unemployment insurance avoid a re-
currence in future"
Chairman Norton Of the House Com
mittee expressed her intention to CO.
operate earnestly with Chairman King
OF the Senate Committee and to hold
joint hearings with the Senate Com
mittee on the more important cues
tions, including the tax code she pro-
poses.