Evening star., 1934-04-27
Subcommittee Calls Budget
Director for Information
on Measure.
SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS
MAY BE BROUGHT UP
Tax Liability of U. S. Property
in District Set at 81, 100000
by Assessor.

The Senate Subcommittee handling
the District appropriation bill. in its
effort to work out more equitable
measure for the next fiscal year, de-
cided To-Day to invite Budget Director
Lewis Douglas to confer with the
subcommittee Tuesday morning for a
general discussion of the needs of the
District government
Senator Thomas, Democrat of Okla
homa, subcommittee chairman, made
this announcement at the close of
another three-hour executive session
today, at which the highlight was the
presentation of statistics by District
Assessor Richards and District Auditor
Donovan, showing the extent of Unole
Sans tax liability on the basis of
his large property holdings here. to-
gether with data to demonstrate that.
inquired on per capita basis, the tax
burden OF the people of the District
compares favorably with 20 other
cities which were used for comparison.
Liability" ! Million.
Estimating the value of the Fed
eral Governments property at $780,
900, 900, it was shown that on the
present $3.50 tax rate the Federal
Governments liability would be ST.
100000, as compared with the Fed
eral contribution placed in the pend
ing bill by the House of only
s4364295
1t was also shown that in the last
In c20 nm nnn
able real estate has been lost for
purposes of taxation by reason of
Federal Government expansion
The District Commissioners and
Auditor Donovan are reserving until
the close of the hearings next week
their general argument in support of
a more equitable Federal contribution.
but the data placed in the record
today by Assessor Richards is laying
the groundwork for tnat plea.
Conference Requested.
The budget director does not ordi-
narily take part in the hearings on
appropr alton bills after the budget
estimates are sent to Congress. but
the District subcommittee, headed by
Senator Thomas. felt it would be
helpful in working out the problems
surrounding next years District bill If
the members could have a conference
with Mr.. Douglas.
1t Is expected the subcommittee will
take up with the budget director the
details of a list of supplemental esti-
mates which were asked for by the
Commissioners, but which were not
transmitted to the House before the
bill was drafted and passed
The District Government asked for
these supplemental estimates to make
use of all of the anticipated revenues
of the District next year rather than
have a surplus accumulate on the
basis of the reduced estimates. The
Senate subcommittee is known to be
anxious to make provision for some
of the more essential needs of the
various branches of the District Gov
eminent that were not in the House
bill.
The subcommittee, before adjourn
ing this afternoon until Monday
morning. also heard Health Officer
Fowler and judges of the various
courts of the District. DR.. Fowler
gave the subcommittee statistics on
tuberculosis in the District of Colum-
bia. which has been the subject of
wide discussion recently in connection
with the need for a new tuberculosis
hospital.
Burden on Taxpayer.
The estimates given above of what
the Governments burden would be as
a municipal taxpayer also leaves out
of consideration any allowance for
tangible and intangible property of
the United States similar in nature to
the tangible and intangible property
on which local citizens are required to
pay personal taxes.
The District assessor also gave
his views en- the proposal of Sem
ator Thomas that Washington adopt
system of low assessment and
high tax rate in place of the
present full-value assessment meth
cd, which results in a low tax
rate and causes some members of
Congress to get the impression Wash
ington is undertaxed. Believing most
other communities assess property at
much less than full value, which ne
cessitates a higher rate. Senator
Thomas is of the opinion that Wash
ington would avoid unfair criticism
if it followed the low-assessment and
high-rate method.
Mr. Richards suggested to the
subcommittee that the per capita
method of arriving at the actual
tax burden of cities for pur-
poses of comparison would be more
preferable This would mean taking
the actual tax levy, arrived at by ap-
plying the rate to the assessment, and
then finding out how much this levy
represents per inhabitant