Evening star., 1933-05-21
REALTY TAX RELIEF
IN CITY IS ASKED
Woman Voters League Dis
cusses Fiscal Relations
With Government.

A review and discussion of the ques-
ton of fiscal relations between the Fed
eral Government and the local COM
munity and the manner in which the
local government collects and spends its
money were the features Of a recent
meeting of the District Of Columbia
Voteless League of Woman Voters, neld
under the auspices Of the local leagues
Committee on Efficiency in Government.
Members of the committee delivered re-
ports on the various aspects OF the
fiscal relations question, some OF which
were accompanied by carefully pre-
pared diagrams and charts Illustrating
the subject under discussion.
Mrs. Edith L. Johnston, chairman OF
the committee, outlined in brief the
general fiscal relationship between the
Federal Government and the local COM
munity and gave some of its historical
backgrounds. She discussed, in addi-
tion, the real estate tex situation, point
ing out that while Washington should,
by reason of certain disabilities, be
among the cities that are assessed at a
relatively low figure, it is, as a matter
of fact among the highest-ranking
higher than some cities of greater pop
ulation and greater wealth in taxables.
Situation Explained.
This situation In part results, she
said, from the fact that the law re-
quiring an actual 100 per cent valua-
ton of real estate for taxation purposes
is more strictly complied with here
than in other cities, where the assessors,
politically chosen, are responsive to the
sentiment of voting taxpayers and in
terpret assessment laws literally. She
urged that there be relief here from the
high burden of real state taxation, in
line with the trend in other cities of re-
ducing the realty tax burden by reduc-
tions in the tax rate or the assessment
or both. Mrs. Johnston, also advocated
a reduction In the tax on intangibleS.
A report on the gasoline and water
taxes. was delivered by Mrs. Elizabeth
Smith Friedman. She developed in her
report the fact that surpluses have ac-
cumulated in both water and gasoline
tax funds to which the Federal Coz
ernment makes no contribution. yet
which the Federal Government refuses
to make available for needed local ex-
penditures. She called on the league
members to take under consideration
the question whether Congress should
be urged to make available for ex-
penditure on necessary local projects
the funds collected from water and
gasoline taxes, or whether both of these
taxes should be reduced, thus prevent
ing the accumulation Of surplus funds
that are piled up in the Treasury.
Charts and Diagrams Shown.
Mrs. S. H. Horne presented a series Of
charts and diagrams and tables, illus
trating the growth of expenditures by
the local government, the source of it's
receipts, the functional classification of
expenditures, the manner in which each
tax dollar in the District is utilized in
local government, and comparisons be-
tween tax rates in the District and
those of a group Of cities chosen for
study by the Detroit Bureau of Gov
ernmental Research. The, Detroit
Bureau figures were utilized in these
tables. Mrs. Horne accompanied the
presentation of the tables by discus
sion OF comparative tax burdens and
an explanation Of some of the factors
that enter into such comparisons.
In a report on the schools and
libraries Mrs. Jean B. Spaulding pointed
to the gravity Of the condition facing
these institutions by reason of the dras-
tically reduced appropriations in the
pending 1884 District bill. Although
enrolment and building needs are in
-creasing, the schools must continue to
function in the face of a 80 per cent
reduction in appropriations on the basis
of the 1884 District bill, she said She
pointed out the threatened effects of a
large reduction in library appropria-
tions, despite the fact that there has